Identity Quest
by kattycha01
Summary: ( a Shin Megami Tensei; Apocalypse/Touhou/ Persona Crossover.)someone other then Dagda saved Nanashi when Adramelech killed him, a supreme personality from the greatest of all Vedic scripture. in which 'Oh My God' takes a new meaning. it is a story about family, love and...wait why is Nanashi holding a shovel? (Has now reached a 1000 readers.)
1. setting the scene

Hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

This fanfiction is (obliviously) written by a Hare Krishna devotee from Montreal and an ex otaku...alright, maybe not so moment I heard Krishna was in Shin Megami Tensei, I was ecstatic. when I learn he had taken the role of the villain…I sort of became mad.

Or madder than usual.

Then I became inspired to write, to share Krishna as He is in all His Glories and sweetness. This piece of fanfiction is extremely special, for it has been blessed with the wisdom of many of my teachers and spiritual Master. May it give you, whoever has the fortune of reading this fanfiction, pure love of God and the ultimate goal of life.

This work is not perfect, but Srila Prabhupada wrote in his translation of the Srimad Bhagavatam that even if imperfect, any work glorifying the Lord is topmost in quality due to its ever perfect subject. (1.5.11)

Om tat sat.

* * *

"Hari _haraye namah krishna~ Yadavaya namaha~"_

 _"~Yadhavaya Madhavaya~Keshavaya Namaha~_

Nanashi raised his head as the wonderful, ethereal song reached his ears. it was just one of those days when he would stand guard beside a dumpster, So the distraction was well appreciated. especially when he had to suffer through his sister signing this old 'carousel of agony' tune for the up tent time. closing his eyes and tuning out his surrounding, the young cadet absorbed himself in the mysterious song.

 _" Gopal, Govinda, Rama~ Sri Madhusudana~*_

 _Giridhari, Gopinatha~Madana-mohana~"*_

it felt so familiar, it felt like home, like a dream long forgotten on the threshold of remembrance. if not for the fact that the signer moved further away, his voice becoming intelligible

 _'...seriously, what is this song and who is singing like that?'_ he wondered as the desire to meet the signer bloomed in his heart.

Looking back a where his adopted sister was still engrossed in her dumpster diving endeavours, the punk in green evaluated the risk and benefit of following his ears and heart to the singer. _'let see. The place is clear. And knowing Nikkari, nothing will get past his watch. Asahi is still very busy and it's like bloody boring. On the other hand, if I am caught straying from her... the boss will rip me a new one...'_ he shuddered at the prospect...And yet, and yet he was not really one who followed the rules. and he really, really wanted to meet the singer before something happened to him.

"Yo, Asahi," he called to his sister. "I'm going to take a leak. Don't do anything stupid, 'Kay?"

Asahi's head popped out of the dumpster she had been raiding for twenty minutes now, leering at him with curled lips and narrowed eyes as if he had informed her or something worst. "Don't tell me...ugh...fine, I can take care of myself, thank you for the TMI by the way."

Nanashi grinned, " I' m just following the standard protocol sis."

Asahi widened her eyes in joked shock. "wait, you? Following protocols."

" Hey, shut up. It was only this one time… can I to now? I really-" need to follow this singer, not that she needed to know. But just for emphasis, he began hopping from one leg to another.

yes, it looked stupid, but he really did have this urge to just bolt from there.

" Yeah, just go do whatever you want. But remember to keep us updated, and find something cool or Nikkari will really roast you this time."

Nanashi smiled broadly, after throwing a quick 'thanks' over his shoulder, began the chase elusive signer, without considering that it could very well be a demon, like a siren. but then, the young anarchist had never met one, let alone a male.

As he followed the wonderful song, already, the singer was far enough that the lyrics where rendered an indistinct mess the maze of the dilapidated Kinshicho district. Eventually, he arrived at where the song resounded the loudest and clearest, there he met a sight that will never leave his mind eyes.

There was a young man of peerless beauty dresser in bright orange bed sheets. He was bare-chested, baring a fragrant flower garland and another orange blanket around his shoulder. On his shoulder also was a string instrument the stranger strummed expertly as he sang and danced exuberantly, making his matted locks of golden hair flare like an extraordinary corona.

Nanashi just stood there, staring at the dancing, glowing man. He looked so out of place in the gloom of Tokyo, as if the sun had gone down to hang out with the unclean crowd of Naraku. intoxicated with his dancing and chanting, the man swayed and cried tears of joy. belting out a soulful Sanskrit chant that stirred the teen's heart more than a sappy movie.

As for what he was chanting?

 _Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna~_

 _Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare ~_

 _Hare Rama, Hare Rama~_

 _Rama Rama, Hare Hare~_

And, like with his previous song, it made Nanashi shed some tears as the distinct feeling of having found a precious treasure once stolen flooded his entire being.

 _'I know is this song...where have I heard it? And why is this man so familiar.'_ He thought as he whipped away his unceasing tears. Glad that no one was seeing this display. he was already pretty, delicate and unsure of his orientation. he did not need more fuel to feed this particular fire.

Scratch that, the stranger took notice, and then grabbed the fifteen-year-old boy by the hands as he swayed in pure bliss.

"Oh, glories of all glories." He joyfully declared with an accent never heard by the underdome dweller. "I came to this place expecting to find a spiritual void, bereft of any type of devotion. And then you came, tasting the nectar of His sweet name like a devotee." The exuberant stranger extolled as he embraced the youth to his chest in the greatest bear hug known to humanity. "Tell me, oh fortunate child, who are you, who are your parents, where do you reside and who is your Guru?"

Nanashi just stood there, not sure if he should fight his way out or not do anything...And finally realized that the glowing stranger did not touch the ground, and the touch of his hand (he had released the boys but not his hands it seemed.) gave the young teen...a very blissful feeling, more intense than the Marin Karin spell...But better and without uncontrollable lust.

"I'm...Nanashi. I'm an orphan...I live... I live here, and what the hell is a guru? And just who are you?" there, he was back to his normal.

At the mention of his unfortunate lack of biological parents and crooked answered, the stranger looked compassionately and the young punk. Calming down from whatever had buzzed him so hard.

"Ah...I see. To answer your question, my name is Narada Muni, I am but a servant of the Lord of the universe, Bhagavan Sri Krishna. And a Guru is one who re-connect his disciples with The supreme and absolute truth and re-establish them in there eternal service to God."

The moment the word 'God' left his mouth, the boy in green ripped away his hand from the soft grip of Narada and drew out his Katana. _'shit! He must be an angel. I'm so screwed.'_

Surprised and worried at the way Nanashi had reacted, Narada tried his best to pacify the boy.

" Ah...shanti shanti. Please be at peace. What cause you this reaction? You know I do not wish you any type of harm."

"Bullshit, you angels are all the same." Nanashi growled " you keep killing us human left and right in the name of God just because we're not pure enough! We will not worship your God...better die free." He boldly declared to Narada in a show of defiance.

Sure, he could run...But he also knew he would not survive the chase. _'better I let him kill me now then lead him to my sister and teachers.'_ he thought as he was mentally preparing for his imminent demise.

Narada...just looked extremely puzzled and saddened at the teen's reaction. " but why do you think-" the angel in orange trailed off for a moment, his eyes opened wide " Oh. No, my lord, Sri Krishna is not like that. He is an unlimited ocean of mercy and a reservoir of sweetness." He soothed.

The boy raised a brow, his katana poised.

"Oh, you unfortunate child. You have been bewildered by the false god of this infernal play." At those words, Nanashi lowered his sword.

"Obliviously, your so-called 'god' and my Master are not the same persons. My master, the supreme personality of Godhead, is an ocean of mercy and the best friend and well-wishers of all living entity."

"Yeah, sure..." Nanashi spoke out, "Pull the other one, it has bells on it.."

This caused an amused smile to bloom on the face of the great sage. " indeed. Well, since I will obviously not be able to convince with words, and since you appreciated my singing of His Names and Glories, I Narada Muni, will give you the greatest of boons." He said as he while he opened his right palm forward in a sign of benediction.

Nanashi tensed up in anticipation, it could be anything, and attack, a curse...a blessing in disguise.

"Very soon, you will experience the sweetness of my Lord and Master, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, as you embark on an adventure that will change many lives. you will gain His ever precious association, and service, as He enacts yet another one of His wonderful pastime. May you meet many great souls and find your true family, and may love of God bloom in your heart. I give you this blessing, that the Lord of All Lord, the Master and Generator of all universes and The Lord of the Gopis of Vraja, your eternal Master, always remain with you."

A shiver went up Nanashi's spine... _'what...the hell?'_

"Now, I wish I could remain longer to teach you the sublime process of Bhakti-yoga, but unfortunately, I must leave." And then, Narada muni was gone.

No, he hadn't blinked, he had kept staring at Narada as he waited for the other shoe to drop. And then he was just gone, leaving Nanashi all alone in the blocked-off street of Kinshicho wondering what the was that all about.

 _'...ok...that was weird...'_ he thought as he put away his carbon katana as he surveyed his surroundings. There was no sign that Narada had even been there, nor any demons. Taking a step back, his foot made something slid on the ground with a clattering noise.

 _'of hey! A smartphone!'_ he picked up the piece of technology off the ground and tried to boot it up, but the screen remained black.

 _'Well...at least I have something to show.'_ putting his meeting with Narada and his blessing behind him, Nanashi somehow managed to find his way back to the team. Whom, by the time he returned, were planning a search for him since he had been gone for half an hour.

well, at least the corner of Nikkari's mouth had a bit of an upturned twist. so while he was mad, and rightly so, Nanashi knew it would not last long. like last time.

* * *

 _in the control room, chaos reigned and a feeling of utter hopelessness pervaded the atmosphere as the countdown to impact inexorably tick down._

Static

 _suddenly, one of the tech_ guys _screamed something about Flynn being on camera four. So everyone turned their gaze at the otaku turned samurai._

Static

 _" I want to save everyone...no matter the cost." He spoke with resolution as he drew the legendary Masakado sword._

Static

 _the countdown until the nuclear head obliterated Tokyo neared zero, A...monstrous head of what was probably Masakado engulfed Flynn's ow, ready to accept the sacrifice._

Static

 _And then, the youngest member of the counter demon force..._

A pair of hand mercifully hid Nanashi's eyes from the gruesome display. They were so soft and fragrant...soothing like moonlight.

"Whoops! That's not for you, not anymore." Spoke a young man with a voice as deep as the rumbling of the firmament during an earthquake...And yet a thousand time sweeter than...

Actually, Nanashi had nothing to compare it with, this voice literally was the first time had experience sweetness.

He tried to turn around...And when he succeeded, a powerful and all-pervading light blinded the boy. It was so powerful, the dreaming youth thought he would forget himself in the bliss of painlessness.

"No, please. Do not lose yourself in my light. For now, just remain 'Nanashi'. Later, you will have another name, and your eternal identity." The source of the light spoke, his voice pervading the ether.

"Who are you? What do you want of me?" the boy asked.

"...oh, so you have forgotten about me." Spoke the light, his disappointment very clear. " I am the supreme Brahman or Supreme Spirit. But God may be more familiar to you." The light, God spoke gently. " And...I just wanted to meet you."

" why?"

" because I miss you."

Those words, heavy with love, made Nanashi reeled.

And then his sister woke him up. They had a training session with Nikkari in Kinshicho park and once again, He had been oversleeping...In her opinion.

* * *

" alright Nanashi, good job." Cheered Asahi. "You're a natural at it."

Nanashi just shrugged as he cleaned his sword, he just knew how to wield a katana well and his aim was true. It took him a lot of practice to get at that level, and a pair of exceptional teachers.

But he knew that he was not at his best, his mind still lingering on last night's dream.

 _'it's just a dream...a stupid dream where God misses me. I swear...it must have been this Narada.'_

" Nanashi...is everything alright. You look spaced out." Asahi gently asked her adopted brother. "It's another one of those dreams, is it? The one with the crucified boy?"

He nodded, for as long as he could remember, he had been plagued with very intense dreams. Some were of the past when the bedrock dome was erected to protect them from the ICBM and locking them up with the demons. other times, it was about a boy, with blue hair being attacked by mask-wearing demons, usually, he had guns for fingers in those. And other times it was about a woman who had his eyes and... very uncommon hair.

She looked so much like him.

But those were just dreams... dreams he would relate to his sister when she would wake him up.

Of course, the current dream, the one about God missing him...definitely would not fly. He had heard hunters being killed for less than that. And thus he had lied.

Asahi pat him on the back. " Well that sucks...anyway, I think we practiced enough, let's go to report back at the fountain." Grabbing his hand, she led Nanashi to were their mentors waited for them. Both men were speaking about something while absentmindedly flexing and rubbing their left arm.

"Nanashi, you were distracted today." Commented Nikkari, the older demon hunter spoke as less of reproach and more as an observation.

" Yeah...weird dream."

" and then there is yesterday's escapade."

Nanashi shrunk under the older hunters disapproving gaze.

" Yo, Nik. Cut the kid some slack would ya? He's just 15, you know, stuff is changin'." Manabu spoke as he gave a meaningful glance to the 'old man' of the group who simply rolled his eyes and massaged his nose.

Nanashi just kept a stone-like expression, he knew what Manabu was referring too but...well, he'd just never had something like that, something about being malnourished and lacking sunlight, the doctor said.

"Nonetheless you and your sister have improved tremendously. Soon enough, you will both have your own smartphone and demons." This made Asahi squealed in pure delight.

"That should do, for now. Let's be on our way." Nikkari spoke as he smiled to Nanashi, and the boy knew his past transgression was somewhat forgiven.

Nanashi paused as he rubbed his left arm...it was twitching like crazy and for some reason, his guts told him something...not so good was going to happen. Noticing his unease, Asahi tried to break the overall tension.

"Was fighting hard, Nanashi?"

 _'...really?'_ "Nah, not really." The boy in green shrugged, killing demons never caused him any problem. especially those who were known man-eater, meaning most of them.

"You really held out your own out there." She commented with a tender smile that did not do anything to ease the tense atmosphere.

Suddenly, shadows fell from the sky and an overpowering smell of expensive perfume choked their lungs. Immediately, both elder hunters surrounded the two cadets. and not a moment too soon, for they were now surrounded by a group of demons, all of them gazing at the small human group like a butcher a carcass.

"Shit..."

Somehow, this one word by Manabu explained the situation perfectly.

Out of the horde of demons, one walked out, and Nanashi did not know if he should be extremely scared or extremely amused.

The mix of the two was very peculiar, to say the least.

It was an unholy mix between a unicorn and a peacock decorated with piercings, purple makeup and what he hoped where false eyelashes.

The...fabulous being, sashayed from between the other demons, towering over them. Swaying his hip like a pendulum he opened his tail and struck a pose, some flames elegantly curling from his plump purple lips.

"I am Adramelech," he introduced himself with a flourish, "loyal servant and sworn knight of the Demon Lord Lucifer."

The group of surrounded human looked at one another. On one side, they knew they were doom, there was no way they could beat this demon. And on the other...

If a lipstick-wearing unicock...peacorn...thing was his lieutenant, it spoke **_*volume*_** about the fallen angel.

The hybrid continued. " there's been talk of Merkabah descent from the Sky Tower and we came to have a little look-see. Of course," his reddish gaze hungrily scanned the only humans around. "After such a long and arduous trek, my solders and I find our stomach howling in hunger."

Now both elder hunters cursed vehemently as they moved in front of the two underage teens. Nanashi stuck close to his sister, he was sure he would survive since over the years it had been made very clear he was hard to kill...

His sister, on the other hand...

"I digress. Word is you human have started feasting on the flesh of demons." Adramelech put his clawed hands of his full, colourful hips." I can't say I disapprove. It's just a law of nature that the strong rule the weak."He flipped his red hair. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, after all." This caused all of his underlings to cheers, and a sure feeling of doom the descend on Nanashi.

 _'forget about Asahi...I don't think even I will survive.'_

He felt his sister move closer to him. looking at her, Nanashi could see only fear in her eyes. It's was oblivious she was regretting her decision to become a hunter by now. The boy in green held Asahi's trembling hand...they may not survive, but he would always be there for her...somehow.

"Yo...Adramelech!" This was Manabu, the rasta hunter brazenly took a step forward. "We get you, you and your teams starving and were probably the only guys you found."

Adramelech raised a well-groomed eyebrow.

"Let's make a deal, shall we?" Nikkari spoke after meaningfully looking at Manabu. " You eat me and Manabu, and you let the two children go."

"What? No!" Asahi screamed. Nanashi held his sister...He didn't like it, but he knew where they wanted to lead the demons.

"Yeah man, me and Nik are old. Meaning more meat for you and your army. Those two kids are scrawny, barely any fat on them and full of bones. Better you eat us. Beside, bet ya never tasted a Brazilian before."

 _'Oh Manabu...no.._ _.'_ Nanashi felt so powerless, he could try to take on Adramelech, but he doubted he would survive to do more than a few scratches.

Adramelech scratched his chin with well-manicured claws. " Well, I will admit we're running out of variety down there...And you two look both well seasoned and exotic."

Manabu lowered his shoulder as a ray of hope, at least for the sibling, pierced the cloud of doom.

And then Adramelech smirked in a way that mercilessly snuffed this newborn hope. "But I'm more of a quantity over quality type of guy if you catch my drift."

"Shit!"

"Besides, you don't expect us to wage war while famished, now do you?" The demon assembly then moved closer as the fancy unicorn smoothly danced his way toward his next meal.

Nikkari unsheathed his sword and Manabu cursed a storm as he belatedly realized that his smartphone did not charge the night before. Nanashi pushed his sister behind him as he took out his own sword and Asahi her riot stick.

"Get ready, here they come!" And so the horde was! Lunging at the Quatuor with abandoned, knowing full well that they would feast of the flesh of the young. But not without a fight.

Manabu and Nikkari showed why they were viewed in high esteem by the rest of the hunter alliance, killing demons left and right while Asahi and her brother also held their own...but not for long.

Adramelech, who was standing back from the action sighed. "Oh, I almost feel bad for you. But unfortunately, the world Lord Lucifer want to create is for the strong only. The weak, that's you, are food." He raised his freshly manicured claw. "I grow bored...And you're just making your flesh tougher..." He snapped his finger.

"Agilao!"

Flames shot from his hand and engulfed the party, Nanashi and Nikkari barely managed to escape the inferno...but, not Asahi.

Jumping in front of her, Manabu took the brunt of the attack.

"Asahi! Manabu!" Nanashi screamed as the sight of his favourite mentor and adopted sister became obscured by the bright, intense flame. When the blaze relented, it was revealed that the rasta hunter succeeded in protecting the daughter of the Kinshicho Master...at the price of his own life.

As they reeled back from the gruesome scene." oh Woopsis, might've left that one in the oven too long" The thing lazily gazed at the two fighters "Mmm-mmm...boy, you should see the look on your face."

Nanashi and Nikkari turned to the demon with only one desire in mind to murder that unholy son of the devil. The cadet in green was about to lung for the kill when the surviving adult beat him to it. Slipping past the rows of underlying, he managed to get close enough to Adramelech to get to his jugular...or close to it. The demo caught him before any damage could be done. "What in the world? Pah! I bet that butter knife couldn't even cut through paper." He threw Nikkari away with his sharp claw, tearing the armour and the soft flesh under. Not to be deterred, Nikkari grabbed his knife and catching lucifer's lieutenant by surprise, stabbed him as close to the heart as he could.

"Arg! Oh, how could you? You marred my pelt, you bastards!" Adramelech spat as once again swiped away the hunter, he then pulled the knife off and casually crush it.

"You must think this all so unfair." He spoke as he brushed off his wound. " in truth, it's no different then you consume the flesh of demons. It's merely...a law of nature."

Nanashi swallowed hard...He knew that fact full well. He never likes to eat them, especially when he had heard the Demon speak before. In intelligence and speech, and even in the way they dealt with one another, demons were not at all that different from humans... especially now. _'Nanashi...you'r about to get killed and eaten now is not the time to philosophy.'_

The bleeding Nikkari turned to the sibling, holding his ribs. "You two- run! Forget about the food and get back at the association!"

 _'Now you're telling us?'_ Nanashi I eternally screamed as he grabbed his sister's hand and attempted to do as he was ordered.

"What? No, no, that won't do either. I don't care much about giving chase..." this was what Nanashi heard as he dodged and slashed away at the demons as he desperately ran to the association...his home for 10 years now. But as they were about to clear the horde, an Infernal heat washed over them.

...And then he felt a powerful shove, sending him and Asahi careening to the side. As they fell in a heap, the sibling saw their second mentor, Nikkari, burn as he saved them.

As he felled on the ground, the elder hunter, now burned beyond recognition, spoke to the two with great difficulty.

"I'm sorry...I dragged you into this."

Those were his last word as he exited his charred body, taking on the ghostly appearance of a tortured soul.

 _ **"NIKKARI!"**_ Asahi yield as he Nanashi held her. "This can't be happening, we have to run."

"No shit! C'mon. Let's scram." But he knew their chance of survival was slim, they were still woefully too far away from any type of help. Besides, the enemies had taken the death of Nikkari as a prime opportunity to surround the sibling once more. And this time, they would not let them break out.

Adramelech walked toward them, chuckling to himself. "Oh my, what an entertaining meal. Too bad we lost the two big one, you will do just fine...especially you, little virgin." He spoke as he licked his purple lips.

 _'He will eat Asahi...'_

The fire of indignation burned away his flight response, there was no way he would let the freak get his sister...not without a fight.

Taking his sword again, the young cadet lunged at the peacock demon in a futile attempt to buy some time for Asahi to run.

"Ooh! Feisty one, aren't you? Alright, sweetheart, time to go night-night."

Adramelech grabbed the carbon sword, snapping it in two...And then plunge his sharp claws in Nanashi's chest. The boy In green tried to scream his pain, but only blood came out of his mouth as the demonic lieutenant pulled out his heart, and crushed it.

As darkness engulfed his consciousness, Nanashi desperately turned around, Asahi...his sister, his best friend...

She was screaming his name...

 _'I failed her...oh God...please...help...'_

* * *

Update: our temple president just gave me a laptop. meaning I can finally edit this story better now.

it's ok, you may now fear me.

(edit) Oh Krishna...So many mistake.


	2. meeting the Lord

Wow, one person's is following this story...thank you, however you are.

So...yeah, I suck at writing fighting scene, so I didn't. and I swear, there are line break and a whole lot of fancy font and editing goodness...the just ate them all and categorically refused to update the script.

...and I have to warn you, from this point one, it's all about Vaishnavism. And no, it's not a religion. It's the science of the soul. The eternal path to attain our real and eternal identity of a blissful, ever so conscious soul.

The updates are sporadic, my grammar is abhorrent, and yet you have reached chapter two…

Thank you.

(update,) I have a new computer now, editing feel so good right now. :)

Aum tat sat

* * *

"Hey! Hey, wake up!" A familiar voice spoke to him. " wake up I say, Uttisshta!"

Opening his eyes, Nanashi saw none other than the glowing Narada. The sage in orange beamed at the boy. " there you are! Welcome back, oh most fortunate child."

Sitting up, Nanashi looked around himself, he was in...not a forest per say, but close to it, a meadow perhaps? There was a huge water basin with steps made of solid slabs of sapphire inlaid with pearls and moonstone. The water contained in it was clearer than pure crystal, containing an incredible variety of lotuses, lilies and other types of flower unknown to the boy. Besides the artificial lake was a small hut that glowed from the inside, illuminating the precious stones walls and ruby red roof.

the whole place he was now In glowed more than a flash grenade, and a special feeling permeated the air, but has hard as he tried, Nanashi was unable to catch what it was.

"Where am I?" The boy in green asked Narada. in such a place filled with the sound of birds and the wind dancing in the leaves, his own voice felt like an intruder.

"His is my Kunja or my lake. This is where I live eternally in the abode of the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, and it is also where I wrote the Bhakti-sutra." As he explained, the sage helped Nanashi to his feet. " it is situated in Goloka Vrindavan, the eternal land far away form the terribe world of dull matter. where time, death, disease and ultimate destruction does not exist."

"So...Im in heaven?" Nanashi half asked, still looking at his surrounding. there where flowers everywhere, birds sang in the trees and a fragrent breeze greeted him with the smell of scandal wood and clove.

the sage smiled. "No, This a higher realm than the plans and planets where the angels reside. even the abode of your universe's Brahma cannot be compared to it."

Nanashi nodded as he took the sceneries in, no matter where he looked, more beauty and secret revealed itself. _*' holy...even the ground is made of gemstone...wait, is that the sky? Are those clouds?'*_

Narada chuckled, at the cadet's childlike wonder. But his mirth soon faded. " do you remember what happened?"

" What happened?" those words acted like a trigger, and the past events flooded Nanashi's consciousness." Wait...Adramelech...Manabu, Nikkari! Holy shit, that beast is about to eat her!"

" I have to come back! Narada, please, I have to come back. My sister-" He fell to his knees, he could see her, his beautiful sister now rendered a bloody mess with a horde of demons feasting on her corpse. Her deceased mother sadly gazing at the boy, clearly disappointed in him.

How much time had passed, minutes? days? weeks?

there was no way she could have survived the hungry demons.

" She is safe," the sage revealed as he brought Nanashi to his feet and out of this horrible headspace. "the Lord paused time for us. Besides, at the state your material body is, I doubt it would be of any use to you."

Hearing those words, Nanashi instinctively touches where the...unfortunately named hybrid had ripped his heart out.

" I...I died..." He choked out. "...I was killed...Asahi...Asahi..." His whole body shook, his knees grew weak. But before he could fall, Narada steadied him.

" ah...easy there." He spoke as he held the boy steady. " she's fine, you do not have to worry about her state of being. Come, the Lord is anxious to meet you."

This had the same effect as a bucket of freezing water. _'Shit...today really isn't my day, isn't it?'_

"Oh, but it is. Come, let's go meet Him." Taking the hand of Nanashi, Narada leads him in the ridiculously expensive looking hut beside the artificial lake. As they came close to an immense feeling of bliss filled the heart if the recently deceased cadet.

"Why am I so happy?" He asked aloud. _' One moment, I'm on the verge of a breakdown. The next, I feel like dancing...what the hell is this place?'_

" Ah, didn't you know? My Lord Sri Krishna is an ocean of pleasure. He is the supreme enjoyer and His greatest joy is to share what gives Him bliss to all his innumerable part and parcels. "

"Huh?" Was the boy In green's Intelligent answer. "Wait...you Mean, I'm part of God?" Oh hell no! He knew he was less than human, but to have anything to do with the "all merciful father"... well, better he stayed dead.

This stopped Narada dead in his track. Looking back at Nanashi with a look that screams, 'Are you living under a rock?' To which, the recently deceased boy would answer ' Bedrock, the be precise.'

"Right, you were not raised by her. Alright, I will give you to the main point of the absolute truth and the nature of the soul. I will only say it once so please be attentive." the floating musician began.

" You are not this body cooling in the Kinshicho park " the sage in orange spoke holding his right finger up." Nor are you the mind or the intelligence. You are the spirit soul, by nature blissful, eternal and conscious. You are also pleasure seeking, knowledge-hungry and always looking for a way not to die. for death, birth, disease, ignorance and old age is not natural for the birth-less soul. Do you follow so far?"

"Yeah..." It made a lot of sense...It also sounded extremely familiar somehow. "But, where are you going with this?"

"Right. As for being one with the Lord. You must first know that He is also Bliss, eternity and knowledge, but unlike the finite living entity, He is unlimited. He is the source and shelter of every possible thing, He is also in the heart of all living entities, all the atoms and He is the soul of all the universe. Which is also him."

"So, **YHVH** is everything then," Nanashi interjected. letting the alien name glitch on his tongue with deep malice. All around, all sound stopped, and he felt the entirety of Vrindhavan cringe.

After a pause that lasted a too long, Narada cleared his throat. "No. this demon is not our Sweet Lord Shri Krishna, and **_Never will be._** " Narada emphasized in such a way that left no place for thought and made Nanashi feel like a complete idiot.

"Right...you, umm...you said something like that yesterday...didn't you?"

"Yes! My, what a bright young boy you are." Narada beamed brightly as the sound came back and the oppressive atmosphere cleared up. "But while Bhagavan Sri Krishna is everything, the source of everything and also the ever conscious controller of everything, He has nothing to do, not even with this material world. For you see, He expands himself in numerous Vishnu forms, those Vishnu, who are no different than Him, and yet not, Are the maintainers of the material world by empowering demi-god to administer the affairs of this world. It is called, inconceivable oneness and difference. Or acintya-beda-abeda Tattva."

"So...I'm a part of God, of Krishna...a small part?" Nanashi tried to grasp what the glowing sage was saying. and while it was extremely dense and convoluted, it also felt very familiar somehow.

"A microscopic part, but apart He cares about nonetheless. As I have told you before, the Lord is the supreme enjoyer, and the greatest enjoyment is to share loving relationships with others. And since nothing can exist outside of Him, he expended himself in innumerable finite entities called the marginal potency. which comprised all the living entities in all the universes."

"So I'm...part of his power?" Nanashi tried to clear this point out, he was getting more and more confused.

"Yes, He is the supreme potent, and thus has unlimited potencies But" Narada trailed off as he glanced toward the palatial hut. Nanashi followed his glanced and only managed to catch the very expensive curtains move. " I believe I have spoken enough about that. Just know that the Lord is not like the one those so-called angels are uselessly worshiping. He is much more different, much sweeter. And He has waited long enough for you." At those words, Narada gently pushed the boy towards the hut.

 _'I'm about to meet God...the supreme controller...'_ Thought a very dazed Nanashi, wondering also if this was normal for the recently dead to meet the maker like that.

" My Lord, the supreme and absolute truth, is called Krishna. He has all the six opulence in full; He has supreme wealth, all you see here and in the material world are His for His pleasure only. He is the source of all power, all strength, all Intelligence, renunciation, And all that is beautiful is but an infinite spark of his own limitless beauty. He is our Lord, our master, our Father, our Mother, our best friend, and supreme Well wisher." Narada spoke with gravity, and yet Nanashi could hear the quiver in his voice...what could only be very sincere love.

 _' Are all God worshipers this weird?'_

They were now at the threshold of the palatial hut, and Nanashi's heart...that was somehow back in his chest, was beating hard enough to perform another exit. Only a richly decorated curtain stood between the deceased punkish cadet and the source of everything.

 _'will I disappear? ...'_ He wondered. His heart thundering in his chest and cold sweat soaked his back , Nanashi would readily admit, he had never been so scared in his entire short life. then, he remembered his dream...

 _"...I miss you..."_

 _'But is it true?'  
_

" Behold, the Supreme Personality of Godhead!" Narada boldly declared as he pulled the curtain away with a flourish, revealing the Lord of the universe in all of His incomprehensible glories.

A wave of...energy washed over Nanashi, it was a heavy...indescribable feeling that made the punk fall to the ground like a stick.

It was something he had been looking for, this feeling that was...right, it felt just right. It was familiar, yet new. Overwhelming, but not treathening, The Lord...the Universes where all in Him, and yet He reverberated withing Nanashi's heart.

 _...the curtains pulled open, revealing Radha-Govinda...and for the first time since...he left, she saw Yuki smile..._

" Very good, giving obeisances is the seventh path process off Bhakti." He heard Narada jubilant and approving comment, breaking Nanashi out of the...memory. And then he heard the Lord.

"He Sakhi-he!..."

His voice was deep and rumbling as the firmament during an earthquake, and yet so sweet.

Raising is head, Nanashi saw a sight many great and powerful yogis could not even catch after thousands of years of austerity and meditation on the Himalayas; the lotus feet of the Lord.

Soft, delicate, blackish blue and glowing. Nanashi never thought feet could be called beautiful. Hell, even His pinkie toe was perfect! Their soles were covered with a reddish powder and the shine his toes nails defeated the glow of magnesium. They were decorated with bejewelled toe rings and delicately crafted ankle bells...and some purplish green fragrant leaf for some reason.

Slowly gazing up, he saw that the Lord wore the same type of pants Narada did, but there was no way Nanashi would call it a bed sheet. It was obviously pure golden silk, and the deceased cadet would bet his own afterlife that the golden thread use in the red trimming was 24k.

Around his round hips that would put to shame those 'models' in Manabu's trashy mags, was a green sash and a jeweled belt. His waist was thin, and yet his stomach was soft with a deep navel, three lines and a very fine path of jet black hair that disappeared under the opulent garter. His chest was broad, on it was a very long garland made with five different colors of flowers, a white line of hair contrasting wonderfully with his deep dark complexion sat on top of his heart. His arms were long, almost reaching His perfect knees and his reddish hands were folded in front of Him, golden bracelets decorated his soft yet powerful arms. A golden flute was tucked in his folded right elbow, its effulgence rivaling that of the Lord.

 _'Oh...who...is this really God?'_ Nanashi wondered as he stared unabashedly at the Lord's chest, his cheeks colored pink. Was this a golden pendant with a glowing blue stone with a cow etched on it?

Finally, he arrived at his face...And Nanashi forgot to breathe.

He was barely sixteen, His face was round, his cheeks delightfully full. His lips were pleasingly plump and bright red, his nose aristocratic, his forehead broad and decorated with a bright red U mark that went to the root of his long curly hair and ending in an inverted leaf shape on the middle of his nose.

His eyes were inhumanly long, like the petals of a lotus, their side where reddish pink and their iris a rich, warm honey gold surrounded by long black lashes. Diamond-like tears welled up at their corner, Bringing Nanashi's gaze back to his reddish ears bearing shark-shaped earrings.

His long, black hair tied in a top knot, were adorned with pearls and golden pieces of jewelry crowned with a peacock feather. And while he wore more golden ornament then any man had the right too, it was oblivious that He was beautifying _them._

To finish this description of the indescribable was His smile, the Lord was looking at Nanashi with a mixture of shyness, joy, and eagerness.

And Nanashi in all of his? He was shamelessly staring, trying the conciliate the fact that this, absolutely beautiful, mind-blowing youth was God...

He...looked much more human, and sweeter then he'd expected.

 _'Oh beat still my heart...'_

Smiling brightly, the Lord all but glided toward the still kneeling boy, and with gentle hands, brought Nanashi to his feet, and in His soft and warm embrace.

Krishna was so so soft, Nanashi felt as if he could merge with him. The Lord was tall, the definition of statuesque. and yet he was still nonthreatening and the source of all sweetness.

The Lord released Nanashi. Then, taking the boy by the hands, brought him to the white cushion where they sat down.

"Oh, my dearest friend..." Krishna began, but his voice choked up part way. Tears flowing freely from his beautiful golden eyes. It was oblivious the Lord dearly wanted to hug a his...dearest friend again. Instead, he simply kept Nanashi's hands in His.

Nanashi could only stare...this, if he was to trust Narada, this...Krishna, was God, the supreme and absolute truth and the source of everything...

Was a sixteen-year-old boy who probably wouldn't survive more than five minutes in underground Tokyo. He looked so delicate, like a dancer almost. And yet...there was this unlimited power lurking right under his silky soft skin. He was a huge softy and if one could ignored his deep, almost black skin, he looked completely human. A beautiful one at that.

"Are you really God?" Nanashi blurted out. Krishna's gaze was just...it made the boy experience flocks of butterfly in his stomach and he was not sure if he liked it.

Well, he did, but he was not supposed to.

The Lord raised a brow, and with a chuckle, spoke. " I am. Didn't Narada explained to you who I am?"

" Yeah...But...you just look..."

" human? Young? Blue?"

 _'All of the above..._ _.'_ Nanashi though as he fought as he tried to look somewhere else or at least stop the tears poring from his eyes, to no avail. _' No one has the right to be this attractive, that's just not fair.'_

Krishna just smiled. " I look the way I do because it is my original form. I made the human for at my image you know."

Right, had heard some preachy angels spout some nonsense like that. _'Guess they were right.'_

" And I am eternally sixteen. Why would I be an old man at the end of his life? I'd rather have this age and enjoy eternal youth with all my associates then always feeling as if I am dying."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

" And I like these shades of blue," He said as he spread his arms.

 _'Holy...his arms are So long!'_ Nanashi realized as he stared at the Lord's Arms. _'...they look powerful too...'_

the young punk definitely would not mind being hugged, embraced and held tenderly in those arms...not that it would happen though.

Krishna then took Nanashi's hands again, and the boy marvel at how, once again, they were so soft. And covered in a reddish and fragrant powder, rings and delicate designs.

"Now...my dearest friend. " Krishna began as he massaged the scared and rough hands of Nanashi., "I have a proposition for you. "

* * *

"NANASHI!" Asahi screamed as she saw her brother collapsed on the bloody ground. Adramelech still holding what was left of Nanashi heart in his hand as he held it aloft to the gathered horde of demons.

She felt sick, numbed by fear...she knew she was done for, the lieutenant had killed everyone so quickly.

The demon then squeezed the heart letting the blood flow in his awaiting maw like a kid having fun with a juce box...

And then spat it out almost immediately.

"Blerg! Pouah! Ugh, what in heaven? That's not human blood..." He spat out as he trew crushed organ in the fountain.

It was not something new to Asahi, but she considered this another way her Bro was trying to protect her. Taking this opportunity she dived at the corps of Nikkari, the daughter of the boss took her only saving grace, the fallen hunter's smartphone.

Miraculously, the piece of vital technology had been untouched by the blaze and booted without any problem, to the great relief of Asahi. But this relief was short-lived when she realized how by the book Nikkari had been.

all of his demons where gone exept for a level one pixie.

"Shit shit shit shit _shit_ shi-"

A hot, putrid yet minty breath washed over her back...And her heart stop.

" You know, you pretty thing, this brother of your's gave me a bad surprise back then. No demons I know, not even angels taste this bad." Adramelech put a claw to her jugular. " you, on the other hand, will be a perfect palate cleanser. Too bad for the other mooks under me, they will have to fight for the crumbs."

She felt the claw dig in her skin, and she did something she never thought she would.

 _'Oh_ God _...Save me.'_

The moment she prayed, an immense wave of pure power and light washed over her. It was so potent, many lesser demons vaporized, and more fled away from this unexplained Mahama spell.

"What it in the world?!" Exclaimed the demonic hybrid, his shock giving a golden opportunity for escape. and escape she did. Turning back one last time, just to see what the hell had just happened, Asahi saw a looming figure over the corpse of her brother.

He was undeniably male and had the appearance of a black marble statue. He was extremely tall, around seven feet with arms that reached his knees, he wore a sapphire blue shirt that also reached his knee. Its collar and cuffs were richly decorated with golden threads and tiny rubies. He wore...Asahi had no idea how to describe it. It looked like a pair of golden origami pants. The being wore no shoes to cover his reddish sole. In his red palm, he held a golden flute.

He had a round face...but Asahi could only see his red lips in the form of a smile peeking from under a blue fedora decorated with golden ornament and a peacock feather. from its rim, long, blakish silky hair with a tinge of blue spilt out in playful curly river.

Asahi would call him very pretty and attractive if not for the fact that he was obviously *not* human. For one, he was glowing and floating...and made out of marble.

The black being...definitely a demon, opened his palms toward the bloody body of Nanashi.

And then the miracle happened.

Nanashi arose, his 'brown' eyes glowing gold under his ever-present contacts, and while he was covered in his own blood, it was clear that his heart was back where it belongs.

He was glowing with inconceivable power, a golden U shaped mark adorned his forehead and a look that screamed 'I will eff-ing shank you' made his intention crystal clear as he gave the demons a murderous Kubrick Stare.

Hope once again elected to nestled in the pounding heart of the daughter of the boss, and this time, nothing would make it leave.

* * *

 _'Ok, step one is the 'saving Asahi plan: coming back to life' is done...surprisingly enough, and now onto step two; eliminate threat. Is underway...'_ Nanashi thought as he clenched his fist, that goddamned peacock was a bit too close to his sister, and some blood trickled from her neck. All around the boy and the Lord, demons of all shapes and sizes stared in awe. This would be a great tactical advantage if he had a weapon with him.

 _' damn it...I'm back in action but completely useless without a sword.'_

Suddenly, time paused and he felt Krishna tap his shoulder, Nanashi turned slightly to the Lord of the universes and paused.

"Krishna...why are you holding a shovel?"

The bluish Lord handed him the black gardening tool. "A wonderful friend of mine saw you using it in place of your broken sword. It is a powerful weapon I assure you."

Nanashi doubtfully eyed the so-called weapon. It was mat black and decorated with seven or so gems of different colours along its body, the shovel head looked ridiculously sharp and solid.

But beyond that, it just looked like your run of the mill shovel.

"That's it, God is crazy."

"Hey!"

"Krishna, I'm fighting a horde of demons by myself and the only thing you gave me is a freaking shovel!"

"It's a spiritual shovel filled with shakti, it is the only weapon you will ever need, And no demons, demi-gods or other creatures will be able to equate me so forget about this summoning app. Now take this holy spade and fight!"

Without any choices, Nanashi took the presented shovel grumbling about how stupid he would look fighting demons with a freaking gardening tool.

"Thank God," He snarke, and then had to pause for a bit.

the shovel was unaturaly warm to the touch and those jewels on the hilt...

"Krishna...are those...this shovel has elemental attribute." he realized with some glee. This definitely was no a run of the mill piece of garden tool.

He turned his attention back to the Lord of the Universe, who held the eternal disk of time like one held a pocket watch, and with actual gratitude, thanked him.

"Your welcome, my dear friend." Krishna inclined his head, a beautiful smile playing on his lucious lips. "Kripa, I will restart time, get ready." Nanashi nodded as he grasped the shovel. The boy was slightly surprised, but then, Krishna was God and thus could easily do whatever he wished. Which included manipulating time, His greatest weapon.

Yes, Nanashi and He had quite the conversation as the Lord dressed up for the occasion.

As the Krishna said, time started again as if nothing had happened, and Nanashi sort of regretted not taking this chance to take a picture of Adramelech epic jaw drop.

"...wait...what? I thought I left you corps like! I rip your heart out! How in the name of Lucifer are you still alive?"

Nanashi smirked."I got better."

Adramelech closed his maw, looking extremely annoyed. "Well, no matter. I will just kill you again!" He roared as he lunged at the freshly resurrected boy who dodged the attack, retaliating with a well place strike. but not to be made a fool by a mere child, the demoniac beast

Both eh demoniac lieutenant and the cadet glared at one another it was clear one would not walk out of the Kishicho park alive.

* * *

 _'what's taking them so long.'_ the Master of Kinshicho wondered as he worridly looked at his phone. _'Nikkari told me he would send me update every ten minute...and I had no update for fifteen minutes now. '_ putting it back, he close his eyes and prayed to the axiom to please protect his kids.

It was all he had left.

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate. Needless to say, it was a miracle he still had a breast pocket after the way he took it.

'its Nikkari.' It was not an sms, so it must have been something serious enough.

"Take over, I've got a call." He spoke to his very jittery aid and recruit.

All but running to the quieter back room, the boss answered, expecting Nikki's professional tone as he dismisses his worries. "Yes Nikkari, what took you so long?"

Silence met him at the other side of the receiver. "Nikkari?"

"He's dead..." It was Nanashi...he didn't sound all that great either.

Heavily sitting down on a conveniently placed crate, the Boss locked his raging emotion between the wall of professionalism. He could not...would not show weakness when his kids needed him.

"Nanashi, deep breath. Where is Manabu?. "

"Dead."

 _'shit!'_ "Nanashi, where are you, is Asahi safe? What happened?" he really did not want to hear it, but at the same time, he had to know, he had to report it to the guild. _'O_ h _Axiom...Asahi, please be safe.'_

"We are in Kinshicho park...by the fountain...we got...we got ambushed."

The Boss felt as if someone had poured a bucket of liquid Azote all over his body,.

"Asahi's safe..."

"Complete statues."

"...right jugular is bleeding, but nothing life-threatening."

And he could breathe again."How about you?"

There was a pause. "...alive..."

"Nanashi? What is your status, answer me right now!"

"...I'm alive..." His boy sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact.

"Nanashi, can you return to base? Can I speak to Asahi?"

Pause...

"Yeah, well be there soon. Just...don't panic...I'm...bloody. And with a friendly."

"On a scale from one to ten?"

"Eleven. We'll sneak in...i'll be in my room in twenty minutes."

"And who is the friendly?" The boss asked as dread burned his guts. it could be anyone.

He heard Nanashi speak to someone."Hari, his name is Hari...huuh...look, more demons are sniffing around, I'll see you soon." And with that, Nanashi closed the phone.

And the boss experienced the worst fifteen minutes of its life.


	3. some relaxation and revelations

Finally, another chapter is out. Also, welcome to my second follower and the 244 readers who stumbled upon my honest attempt at fanfiction. And the most successful.

I recently went on a trip to India, Mayapur. It was my first time on a plane, and my first time out of the continent.

Mayapur is where Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Last Avatar of Krishna appeared 533 years ago. We know he is God and not just another fraud because he was predicted in the Vedas, Srimad Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Anyway, please look it up. W have a facebook pages, websites, accomodations and many restaurants. oh, and the biggest temple in the universe.

So, not much is happening in this chapter...its just like the game, slow going at first.

 ** _Please chant; Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! And be eternally happy._**

* * *

" She bounced back quickly." Commented Krishna from the couch. The Lord, being very tall, could very comfortably sit on the back in a very casual manner unfitting of his position. He filled the room with his blush light and his fragrance. Either that or the garland he wore had entered a pretty intense competition with his aroma and was losing badly.

Nanashi sighed, trying to get his mind away from those very dangerous thoughts. And instead onto the Subject of his _delightful_ adopted sister.

Yes, Asahi, after this horrible and traumatic experience had declared to her dad that she needed to be a hunter. As in, it was imperative she became one as not to waste Nikkari and Manabu's selfless sacrifice. Since, in her little head of hers, being in constant danger of dying would make them proud. Well, they would be proud. The problem was, Asahi was no fighter.

Unsurprisingly, the boss did not approve at all. But who could blame him? He had almost lost both his daughter and adopted son today, his only reasons to live.

So, after the family drama, Asahi had stormed off to somewhere in the Kinshicho station while Nanashi remained in his room since...well.

He didn't want people asking questions as to how he could have survived a pierced heart, the blood loss and the heavy burns and other assorted cuts and bruises. So, he was resting in his room. And Krishna... God was there. Illuminating the room with his dark blue effulgence and filing the stale air with his incomparable bodily aroma. Oh, and playing on his Golden flute what sounded like a love song.

Krishna was truly indescribable...But then, this may explain why so few descriptions of God were available. No one could grasp his form In mere words; He had to be experienced.

Who would believe that God, the supreme and absolute truth, the source of everything, the father of all living entity? Was a dark blue sixteen-year-old boy who played the flute? Nanashi knew he wouldn't. Hell, he had a hard time grasping that, He was casually sitting on the back of his lime green couch and wearing a fedora of all thing.

Nanashi sighed. "What a crazy day, and it's not even lunch yet."

"Is everything fine Kripa?" Krishna asked, some concern coloring hie pleseant voice.

Nanashi opened his eyes and lightly glared at the godly blue youth.

"My name is Nanashi, Not Creeper."

"Not it's not," Krishna countered. "your name is Krishna-Kripa. But since it would get very confusing, I've settled for the second part of your name: Kripa, or causeless mercy." the lord smiled sweetly as he spoke.

"but why? 'Nanashi' is not a bad name..."

"I do not want a Nameless servant."

Nanashi rolled his eyes, he hated when people made this pun. Right, to save his sister, he had basically sold his very self to Krishna for all eternity, he just hoped Narada was right, and that Krishna was different from YHVH.

"Nanashi...I am different from this entity. I promise you; I only want the best for all living entity. You will never regret this, I assure you. "

"Yeah, whatever boss. "Nanashi knew he could not step back out of the deal... he lapsed Into the silence, his wounds were not quite healed yet, but he didn't feel like sleeping anymore, surprisingly enough.

After some time, he spoke something that weighed on his heart.

"Krishna...why me?"

"Hmm? Why did you die?"

"No, why did you chose me? I'm just a cadet. I never prayed to you and...geez, why didn't you revived Nikkari?" He mildly accused the Lord as he managed to sit somewhat up." Or Manabu? Better yet, why did you let us get ambushed? if you are God, saving them would have been a trip to the park!"

Krishna lowered his eyes." to become my eternal servant is not cheap Kripa, it's very rare even among the self-realized." He paused. "They...were meant to die today by the flames of Adramelech Asura... they will take a new human birth in a year from now."

"But why? Why me?" Nanashi tried to sit up straighter as demanded a clear answer for once. "I'm just another unclean one you stuck in this shit hole."

Krishna's face darkened at this accusation. "I have never done such a thing."

"You are God, aren't you? The cause of everything, the source of everything. And your servants just love to remind us about how unworthy we are..."

The Lord sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Nanashi, I have nothing do do with those imitation Kinnaras. And while I may be the cause and the source Of everything, am only but the facilitator and the witness. All the living entities are in the material world by their own choice. And their actions are choices taken with impure mind and intelligence, Controlled by lust, greed passion and ignorance. The result of those poor decisions can easily be seen in the constant state of unrest of Material world" Krishna paused, his golden eyes growing distant.

"I never wanted any of you to be in this bleakest part of the material world. I never wanted any of you to suffer countless birth...I want you all back. I want you all to be happy, but no ones listen to me." Krishna lowered his head and removed his hat, revealing a tightly bound top knot decorated with many priceless pearls. "you all rather try to be me then to be with me…"

Nanashi blinked. "Krishna...what are you talking about? Are we...even speaking about the same thing?"

The supreme personality of Godhead silently gazed at the bedridden boy, looking deeply into his heart. At that moment, Nanashi never felt so naked in his entire life; There was absolutely nothing he could hide from His gaze.

This...was probably the time where he realized that, Yes, Krishna was who Narada claimed him to be.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Krishna broke his silence and his heavy gaze.

"No…"

Nanashi felt his body go slack…" Obliviously. Geez man, what wrong with you?"

The Lord let out a humourless laugh. "I don't know. It seems a good part of humanity think everything is wrong with me. I feel fine though."

"Alright, so you say you want us out of here...but what have you done to get us out?"

"Kripa, I have sent **countless** of my representative in the countless country, on the countless planet and countless universes so that all the suffering souls may have a chance to return to my eternal abode." Krishna spoke with gravity, leaning forward and looking deeply in Nanashi's glowing yellow eyes., touching his servants soul with His own golden glances "I even descended myself 554 years ago, then sent a good friend of mine to spread my Sacred Name to the world at large, the supreme path of liberation."

"Yeah, well what's left of the world doesn't even know your name...we can't even say it."

Krishna tilted his head." what do you mean?"

"I mean, every time we say your name... it's just glitch."

The Lord just kept staring.

"OK, watch this. **_YHVH_**!" Nanashi demonstrated to the Lord, the alien words vibrating against his ears.

"Alright, you said Jehovah, that's another one of my names, and I heard you speak it clearly."

Nanashi stared at the Lord, Jehovah himself.

"But, I also heard a very weak illusion covering it," He added. "making this name unusable. No wonder, since it had become attached to a demon playing my role. Just stick to Krishna or Hari."The Lord gave a heart-melting smile to Nanashi. "Now, what were you saying about the world?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

Nanashi stared for a while, everything about Krishna was perfect. from the way he moved, to to the way he talked.

the new servant of God had a hunch saying no to God would be harder then expected.

"Didn't you hear? About 'God's plan'?"

Adorable confused look ensued, and it made Krishna that much more attractive...Like everything He did, it seems.

 _'Dammit, he's doing it on purpose.'_ clearing his throat, Nanashi continued.

"Twenty-five years ago, I heard demons started to pop out of nowhere in the world. Killing and eating people while so-called God proved to be no better than your average yakuza, only now dealing with human faith." The boy who survived began. "Oh sure, Humans fought back, enslaving demons with a special app and killing as many more as possible. For some time, I heard it became part of life, just another bump in a shitty road.."

"and then...The day of the apocalypse arrive." Nanashi dramatized" We don't know who pressed the button first, some say it was America, others say it was Russia, and a minority say it was us, Japan. But the result remained the same; the whole planet got nuke to hell. Tokyo survived the shitstorm only because Flynn sacrificed his life to Masakado, the protector god of Japan, who used his body to form the firmament." Nanashi scoffed as he tried to stifle the horrific image of the samurai cutting off his own head… and Masakado, especially Masakado." saved use from the ICBM strike...But got us locked in with demons, angels and whatever in between looking for human resources."

"That's...terrible." the Lord commented, and to Nanashi's great surprise, it was said with all the sincerity in the world.

"On top of us, I heard civilization restarted...But the time is messed up, and angels won't let us up anyway...not that I'd want to. Heard you have to-"

"Swallow a shallow religion they also do not understand. A religion that began as a simplified version of my teachings." Krishna finished as he shook his head sadly, making his shark shaped earring dance against his flawless cheeks.

 _'right... I'm speaking to The One True God here...wait.'_ "so...you don't-"

"no, I do not condone fanaticism in any way, shape or form. I want my devotees to go on the path of Bhakti with full knowledge of Me and the way to attain Me. Not parrots who squawk lofty verses without understanding the most simple of its tenet." he elegantly crossed his arms.

Nanashi...just stared at Him.

"You... don't want brainless zealot?"

Krishna looked positively disgusted. "No! Why would I want madmen who use My words for their own nefarious purposes? It's... it's idiotic at its finest!" He said as he threw his hands in the air. "I told you Kripa, I want all the condition souls back to Me, and for this, I've sent many teachers and acharyas, special souls who follow my words flawlessly. They are perfect and transparent instruments of my mercy, and they are in the material world to salvage those who are materially exhausted and ready to go back home. And those acharyas empower their students to liberate more condition soul." The Lord explained. "Now, if those teachers and students where zealots..." he shuddered. "I have seen enough so-called 'religious' war and so-called saintly man destroy the spiritual culture and tenet I personally gave."

Nanashi grunted...wow, he'd never expected God to be so...down to earth. It was reassuring.

and then it hit him. "Krishna...you're not the one controlling...your not YHVH, are you?"

"No, I am not this demon."

"Oh... so, the one controlling Merkabah is...not you, meaning he's a fake?" Nanashi clarified, his eyes growing wide.

"Yes," krishna sighed, closing his eyes in what could only be qualified as the greatest relife ever known to man...or the second atleast.

Nanashi remained silent as he worked out what he had just heard.

"As for why I chose you? Well, didn't Narada blessed you?" The Lord asked as he tilted his head and crossed his legs. "My Narada is one of my most powerful preachers; he travels the universe to teach and bless countless living entity with the gift of Bhakti. You've met him, you've appreciated his dancing and signing, and thus he asked Me to accompany you on your adventure. "Krishna...God, explain as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head "While I am the supreme independent, I just can't say no to my pure devotees. "

"Besides," the Lord looked down bashfully. "I do miss you."

A moment of silence fell the duo before Nanashi broke it.

"You spoke to me yesterday…"

"I did…"

"But why? Am I not just another soul for you?"

Krishna raised his head, looking right at the boy as if he had spoken one of the greatest lies in the world.

"Why do you think like that? I care for all of my small parts and parcels. A father of many cares for all of his progeny whether they are obedient or not."

"Alright, but where the hell were you when the bomb fell and when there's a cataclysm? where are you when they, when we all pray to You to save our friend and us to spare the innocent?"

"Kripa..."

Nanashi let himself drop down on his bed. He has so many questions to ask the Lord, questions no one seemed to have an answer for. But now that God was there, he could finally get the answers to those pesky questions that had kept him up at night.

"Krishna...why do we suffer? What have we done to deserve all this? Children, woman, innocent people... why? Why?"

Unseen by the boy, The Lord smiled.

"It is Karma. Or the past reactions to sinful activities."

"you mean, the stuff you don't want us to do so that you may keep us in the dark ages." Nanashi countered.

"No, the act I prohibited for humankind is to make sure you remain at the human platform." the Lord explained." Sinful activities are synonymous to subhuman actions. and those subhumans action causes terrible consequences like wars, cataclysms, pestilence and abnormal weather."

"But why? Why can't we just not suffer here? Or, you know, not have such a shitty life?" Nanashi asked, he then felt Krishna's gaze on him. No, it was not Krishna who was looking at him, but the supreme personality of Godhead.

It was...actually Awesome. No not that type of awsome where you ride around Tokyo on the biggest demon ever blaring queens 'don't stop me now' as you conquer everything in sight. It was the type of awesome that made you feel so small and insignificant.

"Krishna Kripa,' the Lord began his deep voice pervading the either. "The material world is a prison meant for the spirit soul desirous to enjoy without me. It is a terrible world filled with tormented at every step. It is a world where every action has a consequence, either good or bad. And those reactions forms many links in the chains that bind you here. those terrible chains have dragged you all around the three planetary systems without any respite. "

"There are still pleasures here; it's not all that bad." The bedridden boy argued. "I mean, sure, there is some good and bad, but you just need to enjoy it while it last."

at the other side of the room, Nanashi could feel the frustration of the Lord growing.

"While it last? Kripa, have you realized how much effort it takes to have but a drop of pleasure? How long those it last? Twenty minutes at best, no. but a moment of empty relief before the suffering return."

"then what's the point of the thing then?" Nanashi snapped at the Lord, he was hungry, in pain...and now on the verge of hoplessness.

and then...he understood.

"wait...this world, the material world is a prison, a correctional facility."

"yes..." the Lord whispered.

"..you don't want us to stay here...you want us back. that's why it's not perfect." he concluded, and while it was a bitter pill to swallow, it was still a better then the alternative

He heard the Lord snap his finger. "Yes! Finally, you have understood. There is no real happiness in the material world, at all. And whatever is there is just like finding a drop of water in a desert. No matter how many drops you will find-"

 _"-you will never be satisfied." Explain a bald man in orange with a hooked nose. His soft green eyes held a love and a wisdome that trencendedad time and space'_

The boy blinked away the memory, being used to it, and yet, it was very different to what he was used to.

"Kripa, is everything alright?" Krishna asked.

"Yeah. Just some flashbacks...I guess. what were we talking about anyway?"

"We were talking about how this material world is an ocean of sufferingand how no bliss is present here."

"wow...so joyful..." Nanashi snarked. "So you don't want us to have pleasure at all."

"No: krishna denied. "I want you all to have pleasure. The very nature of the soul is to seek pleasure. The thing is...The further away you are from Me, the less you have it. and before you accuse me of be stingy and cruel just listen to be before you pass judgement."

The way krisha had said with, not ordering, but not quite pleading, made the bedridden boy more ope. Clearly, it was something He had to get off his broad and inviting chest. there was no way Nanashi would prevent to lord to say his piece.

"Kripa, I am the source of everything, and I do mean everything in it's pure and unadulterated state and ever increasing. and this includes pleasure. just like the sun is the source of all light and heat in the world."

"Well...I've never seen the sun."

"Alright, then take a simple light, the further you are, the less heat and light you perceive." Krishna exlained. "The same principle applies to Me also."

"The further we are from you...to less pleasure we feel."

"Yes...My narada was once again right. you are a bright young man" Krishna smiled as he praised his servant.

"But...how can we get pleasure then? of its our nature..."

a broader smile illuminated Krishna's moonlike face as some tears gather at their side.

"My dear Kripa, All glories to you. dear friend, the spirit souls, the actual self seperate from this body made of sixteen element, belong to the spiritual world. it is a world filled with unlimited varieties of pleasure and eternal relashionship. time is conspicuous by its absence, every words is a song and every step is a dance. weather is sweeter then the nectars of immortality and death is but a rumour. this is where you all belong...at my side."

At this, Nanashi rose from the bed and stared and Krishna. Taking a moment to take in his beauty.

 _'Holy crap...is it the same person?'_ "Krishna..."

The beautiful, otherworldly being gave the pious sould a very smug, self satified smile. "Yes, It is me Kripa."

"whoa..."

"Kripa? are you sure everything is fine?" the source of all beauty asked as he tilted his head to the side. Making his earnings and hair decoration dance, a slew of star burst forth from all the pearls on his dark curly locks of hair.

Nanashi blinked and internally cursed. He was not supposed to find Krishna attractive. He was not supposed to be attracted to beings that were not human, let alone man.

 _'OK, you know what. I'm not even human, to begin with...but Krishna's God, there must be a rule against that.'_

"Kripa!"

"yeah, so...uh...we don't belong here? were not from this world?" Nanashi stuttered.

Krishna smile, stealing Nanashi's heart. "No, of course not."

"Where are we from then?"

Laughter shone trough Krishna's Golden eyes.

"All the spirit souls belong to the spiritual world. Either Vaikuntha, Ayodhya, Dwarka or...Vrindhavan."

"you mean, the place we first met, right?" the memory still fresh. The sight, the sound. Everything was...perfect over here. And yet he felt that something was...no really missing, but hiding.

but one thing was sure though, Nanashi wouldn't mind going back.

Krishna smiled as an answered. _'Wow, I've ever seen someone smiling so much.'_

It...gave him a very warm, unexplainable feeling. It was...he desperately wanted...

 _'why was I not born with two x chromosome? it would have been so much easier to deal with those feelings.'_

"So...now what?" Nanashi asked, desperate to change to a less...awkward subject.

"What do you mean, now what?" The Lord shot back.

"Well, what should I do? I mean, I'm your servant now...for all eternity."

"You...accept to be my devoted...my devotee?" Krishna asked. It was heartbreaking to hear the hope in his voice. It was hard to understand also, but Nanashi had been warned that he was inconceivable.

"Yeah..." Nanashi shrugged. "you make more sense than the other guys. And well., what do I have to lose?"

"Oh, absolutely nothing. "Krishna answered as he leaned back. A brilliant smile was lighting his whole, moon-like face." You have nothing to lose, Oh killer of Adramelech, and everything to gain." Krishna soft, loving Gaze never left his servant. "Now, if you want my opinion, I do believe our best course of action would be to follow your sister and calm her before the poor girl performs something incredibly foolish."

Right...while Nanashi's hormone had not quite kicked in, his sister's had been very...aggressive, and she was now acting like a full on teen with her dad. It had been cool at first to see her rebel, but now, the boy knew that being rebellious in a place where survival rhymed with cooperation would result in a trip to the furnace. If you were lucky.

It would be good if she were to remember this little tidbit.

"Alright...sound like a plan." Nanashi agreed as he arose from his bed, he felt much better. Still looked bruise though but, after what had gone through, it was as expected.

At least he didn't look like he was a walking dead man anymore.

"Ah, before we go hunting for the wayward one, I do believe you need to change. One should no go out in clothing filled with holes...especially if one of those who would reveal the fact that you essentially lost your heart...and the fabric is bloody."

The boy in green looked down. It was true, his green jumper was ruined...but.

"I have nothing else to wear." Nanashi admitted. "Say, if your God, why don't you fix it?"

Krishna glanced at the jumper and scowled.

"I don't want to."

"You... don't want to."

"No."

"Why?"

"It's made from the Blood of m- it's made from eternally filthy plastic and I do not like the lyrics of this song..."

Nanashi blinked.

"Kripa... _imagine No religion._ My dear friend, I have countless time seen the effect of no religion. It is hell, plain and simple."

 _'Oh, I get it.'_

"You know what? The jumper's OK." Nanashi declared with a devilish grin. he made his way to his shower, the least he could do was to wash off the blood and patch the holes up.

and...He could still rebel a little bit. no use being too pure around these parts anyway.

Once in the bathroom, He gave himself a thorough once over.

still frightfully thin, still as pale as a greenish ghost, and now covered with even more green scars, the biggest one on his chest.

Nanashi gingerly touched the where the empty hole used to be...

 _'I...I...my heart's still in there...I should have stayed dead.'_ He realized as he felt his brand new organ beating in response to his emotion.

 _'God saved me...He personally saved me...'_ This was...

Huge...he could barely wrapped his mind around...

As if to save him from a complete meltdown, Nanashi noticed a Scar on his jaw, a pretty visible one too.

 _'Oh man, why do you have to be on my face?"_ so he was scaring green...this was why he preferred to wear covering clothing. no one would ask if they couldn't see. _"think I still have some tapes...still have to be more careful about it.'_

his assessment done, he enter the shower, washing away from, blood and the awfully feelings of losing his teachers and as close as a guy friend...

Nanashi...those where not tears, nor was he sobbing...

He was not weak, He was strong...and man did not cry.

they only did when drunk, and He was still a year too young to indulge.

When he came out, feeling even more refresh, he noticed that his new favourite jumpsuit was...gone. Instead, there was a pair of hunters standard issued armoured green pants and, The edgiest black shirt in the universe. On it was a note that read.

 _My dear friend, you may consider yourself an anarchist. But I'd rather you be a Vaishnava and dressed neatly. I will find you something more to your liking, but for now, please accept this dress._

 _With all respect, your dear friend and well wisher_

 _Sri Krishna, son of Nanda and Yashoda._

 _P.S I know you miss them, I am taking care of them as we speak. and it's alright to have emotions. I too have them._

At first, Nanashi felt a bit...what was the words, too controlled, his will and desires disrespected...and his privacy completely gone.

And yet…

Those pants were of high quality, he realized as he inspected the piece of reinforced clothing. The boy knew very well that those where exclusive the highest ranking hunters. And that shirt!

"OK...I never thought Krishna would give me something so edgy." he murmured as he took in the high-quality print. It was clear this half-lion Half man creature on the shirt was beyond pissed. _'dang, wouldn't want to be on the business end of those Claws. whoever angered him must be so dead right now.'_

He lowered the shirt, there was also a utility belt with a hook for his open shovel, army boots and a pair of brand new underwear, sock and some tasteful pieces of jewelry. All in all, it was more then what Nanashi could have expected to receive.

 _'...He gave me back my life, he gave me a powerful weapon, saved my sister, empowered me to defeat all those demons, even kill Adramelech...and now he gave me this set.'_

Nanashi, scratching his old bandage mechanically … he now realized that God just kept giving. The air, water, heat...God gave everything.

And now God gave him his mercy, and prices of brand now, never used cloth…And only now did he asked something from Him.

Krishna had asked Nanashi to be his instrument, and he had polelty asked, not expecting anything.

His vision blurred, and a Bald man in orange smiled at Him and the Boy with blue hair. _"The airs, Pure water, sunshine...everything is the Lords gift. But, it is not ours to hoard and exploit for our own enjoyment. The lord said in the Gita 3.10 ' In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and blessed them by saying, "Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things.'"_

 _"I see." Spoke the boy with blue hair._

Nanashi shook his head, dispelling this...weird memory.

Wordlessly, the resurrected punk began dressing. He replaced his contact, and the bandages around his left ankle and waist in complete silence, mulling over the entire conversation he'd just had with God. His entire world view changed in a period too short.

* * *

Oh, Asahi had not been too hard to find, she had been sulking for the past hour in the station, moping about the fact that the boss wanted her to be safe.

Nanashi knew that life could be very dull underground for the kids and young girls. Hell, even he would often be napping with how low on action life could be. But of course, yet the banalest day could turn into chaos at the drop of a hat. Especially with Asahi as a sister.

The young girl had her arms crossed under her breast, and her countenance screamed 'I'm mad and frustrated.'

Nanashi may have faced recently the legions of Lucifer, the wrath of the boss after doing something stupid and his recurring nightmares. But nothing, nothing at all would top the tearful face of his adopted sister.

He approached her with extreme caution, all the while trying to hide his fear…

And all the tension of that scene was utterly destroyed by Krishna, who could barely hold his laughter in.

This should annoy the teen, but to see Krishna enjoying his antic...it was pure bliss.

Of course, Nanashi shot the Lord a very annoyed look, just to see how he would react. And Krishna did not disappoint; he became comically severe for about five seconds before pulling his tongue out and busting out peals of ebullient laughter.

It did wonder to evaporate his anxiety, but the point still stood, Nanashi had to brave the Asahi typhoon.

He cleared his throat loud enough for her to hear. She turned around, and the moment her eyes fell on her brother, her entire mood changed.

"Wow! Cool shirt!" Complimented Asahi. It seems the new (new!) piece of garment broke her out of her pity party.

"Thanks..."

"Who gave it to you? Tall dark and spooky?" She spoke as she gestured to Krishna.

It took all of Nanashi's self-control not to panic and/or die of laughter. She could see God...and had called him tall, dark and spooky.

OK, so Krishna may be God, the Supreme Controller of everything and the one who could smite the wrongdoer with a thought...but he was not spooky. Nanashi didn't want to say it out loud, even in his mind, but Krishna was the source and definition of the term' tall, dark and handsome.'

Very handsome.

As if he had read his mind, Krishna, who had been floating/standing close by bestowed upon the resurrected boy one of his crooked smile decorated with his flute.

Nanashi cleared his throat. "You can see him too?"

"Yeah, kind of hard to miss a tall, glowing demon with ankle bell."

Krishna's face fell. "Hey! I'm not a demon...Kripa, tell her I'm not an asura."

"Why don't you tell her?" Nanashi whispered as discretely as possible to the lord.

"she can't hear me...nor can she see my full features either. If one is not worthy, then they may come to my many temples only to witness a pair of statues."

Nanashi raised a brow, it felt like the Lord was referencing something, but it eluded the boy. Instead, he just turned to Asahi who was still staring at Krishna.

"he's not a demon."

His sister raised a brow at this." really? What is he then? And angel or something?"

 _'Shit...how am I supposed to_ _answer_ _that. If I tell Asahi that Krishna is God...yeah, that won't end very well._ _Especially_ _in public.'_

"just tell her the same thing you told Iori. But you need will to tell her everything later though."

' _right... wait, you can read-'_

"I am not a mind reader, but I do dwell in everyone's heart and thus am privy to all conversation," Krishna explained. "You better start talking tough, your sister is getting impatient."

Nanashi slightly nodded.

"He's a persona...an entity who...protect me because he wants to. And yeah, he didn't like the poem on my suit, so he gave me new duds."

"Aww, you're so lucky. You always get the cool stuff."

Nanashi cough a bit. Oh, he had noticed his good luck.

"So...let me guess."Asahi crossed her arms, her mood souring again." dad sent you."

"No...well yeah, and-"

"Hari"

"-Hari's worried about you."

Asahi raised a brow as he faces darkened "seriously? Him too? Tsk...that just typical."

"Asahi..."

"First it's dad, then it's you, and now there's this creepy guardian." the teenage girl began her rant. "Dammit, I'm not a baby anymore, I'm fifteen!" She threw her hands in the air. "And I'm practically a hunter now! It's just dad acting up again. "

"How can he *not* be proud!?" Asahi exclaim as she began pacing. "I am doing my best to follow in his footsteps, I went through all the training, all the hardship. And he still sees m- treat us like babies."

 _'geez, I wonder why?'_ Nanashi commented in his mind. _'it's not like you and I almost got eaten and I killed or anything.'_

"I've had enough! The only way I can get the respect I deserve is if I become a legit hunter!" She then turned to the ever so silent Nanashi. "...any idea?"

Nanashi tried not to groan.

"Kripa...is everything alright? "

' _N_ _o...she knows what has to be done, but she do_ _esn't_ _want to take responsibility for it.'_

"So she wants you to..."

' _Be a scapegoat if things go to hell in a hand-basket.'_

Krishna...facepalmed

' _Krishna,_ _what should I do?'_ Nanashi asked the Lord. He had no idea what to do. Usualy, Asahi's plane would invovle trying to steal things and explore kinchicho further then what was allowed. But now…

Now, they had no one too look after their sorry ass.

"Hey! How about me?" Krishna exclaimed.

' _I never saw you fight.'_

"But I can fight" Krishna argued back "...I just do not feel the ned to bother with insignificant demons.

 _' Whatever. So, any ideas?'_

"Well, you could tell her you have no idea...or you could."

 _'No forget about talking se_ _nse_ _into her. She's way beyond stubborn...and she has some material on me.'_

"Materials?" The Lord asked as he raised a delicate brow.

 _'Blackmail. You...probably already know about it.'_ Nanashi admitted.

Krishna just hummed as he considered the situation. "Yes...if that is the case, then better go along with her for now. I can always work out the details as we go."

Welp, Whatever God said.

"We can...go recruits some demons."

At those words, Asahi did this very girly scream as she jumped around and hugged her brother. "I knew I kept you around for a reason!"

 _'Krishna, please tell me it will end well?'_

The Lord mysteriously as he put his golden flute to his reddish lips. "I'm not spoiling it."

* * *

"You know Nanashi, maybe recruiting demons would be easier if you didn't kill them all."

So...yeah, they had managed to sneak out of the protected zone and were now hunting for some demons to recruit. There was one little problem though, Nanashi after his meeting with the Lord, was now way too powerful for the onion-chicken and other weak food types. Thus, after the spend of one hour, the whole area was vacated from all demons smart enough to know when to fold them.

Meaning, no more demons to recruit.

It was kind of impressive though. Nanashi was more of a sword-fighter and would still sometimes struggle to fight. But now, he fought with a fancy shovel...and completely destroyed the enemies. It was pretty cool too, and he knew this newfound strength came from the Lord.

 _'_ _Damn_ _, I sound like one of those angels now. I should just...yeah, I'm stopping before I start sprouting wings or something'_

"Asahi, you already have a demon." He spoke to his sister, trying to move away from those...thoughts.

"Yeah, but she's not listening to me." Asahi grumbled as she glare at Nikkari's stolen phone.

No, she did not gave it back.

"can't believe he linked his phone with his health. Now all his demons are gone. Bummer."

"don't you remember? It's normal procedure."

"Well, Normal procedure sucks...he had so many cool and powerful demons, now I only have a pixie. And she's a real bitch."

"Is she even aware that respect usually goes both ways?" Krishna asked.

 _'I don't...think she realized that.'_ but, to be honest, Pixies where known to be very temperamental.

"my dear Kripa," God turned to Nanashi. "Promise me that you will respect every living entity and take only what is entitled to you."

"Why?"

The Lord of the Universes looked right into the boy's eyes.

"I do not like seeing My children fight and maim one another, no matter their birth or their form."

A feeling of guilt crawled behind Nanashi's spine... he had been killing demons for some time, he was even good at it." why tough, they are demons, not humans."

Krishna shook his head sadly. "Kripa, the soul, has nothing to do with the body it is in, all living entities are my parts and parcels, or my sons and daughters. It matters not in what form they are, or even if they believe in Me or not, I still care about them."

A feeling of pure dread flooded Nanashi's entire body as he heard those words and he could literally feel his sins cawing up his back like a cold, skeletal hand.

"Kripa...is everything fine, you went all pale all of a sudden?" The Lord ask, concerned for his servant. "Are you still weaken by your previous ordeal?"

The boy in green only had the power to shake his head...

"What is wrong then? can I do anything to help?"

"I...I killed so many..." He never liked to kill, but in this world, in the land of Tokyo, it was killed or be killed. and now...

He felt the Lords cooling hand upon his trembling back. Immediately, he felt waves of love pouring from Krishna, extinguish the fire of his fear.

"My dear Kripa, what you did, and are still doing is not against the laws for human." Krishna gently explain. Looking up from Krishna beautiful feet, Nanashi was caught in the net's of His bottomless golden eyes. "In the Manu samhita, it is clearly written that killing an aggressor, an arson, a thief and an adulterous man will not incur sins."

"Really?"

"Yes." the lord smiled, and whatever fear he had left Nanashi. "I am not so cruel as to condemn an act of self-defense and protection."

Nanashi averted his eyes. He could see Asahi was busy crawling around in a dilapidated store, looking for more relics.

"Kripa?"

"But...Sins...I've did so many. I...don't deserve..."

He felt the lord closing in, His powerful arms encircling his shoulder and his aroma chasing away the stench of Tokyo.

"Oh my dear, You, of all people deserve my association. You have surrendered to me before, you have surrender to me now and you are now forever mine. whatever sins you have committed in all your innumerable life have now being enumerated. "

Another type of shiver went climbing up Nanashi's spine. Never in his life has he felt so...not owned, But being a part of something great.

He felt home, he felt like this was where he belonged. Like a part back in a great machine.

A machine that just happened to be soft, Loving and all powerful...and a person.

"Kripa, to those who surrendered to me completely, even going as far as to relinquished mundane religion, I carry what they lack and provide what they lack. And I personally get rid of all their sins"

Nanashi raised a brow. "Wait...that's it? No confession? no penance.?"

"No, to serve me is austerity enough." Krishna explain as he moved in front of Nanashi. giving the smitten boy a chance to gaze at his full form. "I want I my living entity back to me, and thus, I make it easier for them."

 _'Krishna...if you want us back so badly, why don't you just force us?"_

"and force you all?" Sri Krishna scoffed. "That's not how love work!"

Nanashi paused and turned to Krishna, Staring at the effulgent blue lord owlishly.

"The hell? What does love has to do with it?!"

"you will know soon enough" Krishna dismissed With a mysterious smile. "Do not fear for all those demons you killed. It was your right to defend yourself. So no sin has been incurred. And whatever sin you have incurred and will commit. I will pardon them. But-" there The Lord of the universe looked right into Nanashi's very self." It does not give you the freedom to commit crime and slaughter innocents in My name. is that clear?"

Nanashi Nodded. the warning was loud and clear.

"OH MY GOSH!" the servent of the Lord all but jumped out of his skin as his sister gasped loudly. She...or Nikkari's phone had received an emergency message.

An urgent one. Urgent enough to warrant dragging her adopted brother to the sky tower to rescue a few hunters send to help Flynn and Isabeau.

 _'Well, I got cursed with an interesting life it seems.'_ He lament as his sister brazenly ploughed forward to the old symbol of hope. The Lord prancing beside him with his sweet sounding ankle bells. eliciting those same fuzzy feeling he might call attraction.

 _'Maybe...maybe it's more of a blessing.'_

* * *

Hello, Hare Krishna. For those who have read thus far, you can leave a commant. it help this story get a bit more view. and if you have any question, I will be more then happy to awnser them...expet plot sensitive one.


	4. More faces new and old

And here is chapter four...

You have no idea how much of an achievement it is. Also, I would like to thank the three persons who but this humble attempt in their favourite pile, and the four who are finding this story interesting enough to follow.

 ** _Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare._**

* * *

It felt like a dream, he was a hunter now. And the way it happened...well, it was something one could call a series of contrived coincidence and incredible events.

They; Asahi, Krishna and himself, had arrived just as things were starting to get ugly for the hunters. Asahi had introduced herself and her brother (plus God, no wait, persona) as fully-fledged hunters, which they were not.

Hell, Nanashi was fully aware that the only reason he was alive was due to Krishna empowering him. There was no way he could have defeated all those demons without having a small army of hell spawn to back him up.

Scratch that...he and his sister should have been dead by now. In a body bag and into the furnace.

Well...His body anyway. If it had been up to him, like, he would have no sister to protect, Nanashi would have stayed in Goloka with Krishna while his sister...body would get eaten by Adramelech. Leaving the boss without any reason to live except maybe help out Flynn with the hope to see the actual sunrise...

Which would probably kill him at that point.

Where was he? Right, the sky tower battle.

They had almost fought the practically naked angel only to have Krishna seduce her without the use of a Marin Karin spell. This pissed off her supervisor, Aniel, who was quick to zap her.

And Krishna, being God and all, had saved her by catching the lightning bolt with his bare, delicate hand.

This had almost killed Nanashi...

To see those bolt hitting Krishna's reddish palms...it made Adramelech's stab seems like a pleasant tickle.

He didn't want to see His Krishna hurts.

Aniel had then turned his wrath on Nanashi and his adopted sister, Somehow not seeing Krishna. The fight that had ensued had been brutal, his sister's demon, the pixie was but a smear on the floor. And if not for Krishna, Asahi (and himself) would have been electrocuted to death also. But eventually, Nanashi had won, not without the timely help of Isabeau and Flynn though. But by the time they had arrived, the red-winged Herald had definitely seen better days.

Who would have thought a shovel could cause so much damage. And shoots elemental bolts, of all thing. It had been sweet to beat the feathers off that self-righteous angel. Still, the young boy knew he could have done a better job, he had plenty to learn, especially how to use a fighting shovel.

It is kind of reminded him of a vintage video game...Shovel-Ninja?

After a slightly eventful return trip, the boss had been quick to notice the wounded, and his daughter holding Nikkari's stolen phone.

He would have indeed grounded both for life for _running away to a participate in a high ranking rescue mission involving angels-_ If not for the fact that Asahi had quite the surprise on the phone.

The moment he took the smartphone from his equally frustrated daughter, his rant...stopped dead the moment he noticed that, indeed, that same angel who had her heart stolen by the Lord had formed a contract with Asahi.

Actually, the winged pest had wanted to serve Nanashi, but since the boy in the lion shirt didn't have a smart phone (yet), the angel had to settle for his sister. Much to Asahi's great pleasure.

And thus, the boss had nothing to say but stared silently at the display, desperately trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

His face had been extremely comical, with his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

The Samurai duo then began praising the two youth's battle prowess, mostly Nanashi's skills at fighting with a shovel and his aim. And Asahi's resourcefulness was also highlighted.

Not that she had been of any help once her Pixie had died.

The next thing they knew, both were asked to register as hunters...real ones.

 _'Hell...I don't even have demons, Krishna, how is it possible?'_ Krishna, who was casually sitting beside Nanashi at the bar, gave the boy one of his ever-present, ever so mysterious smile. Did he wear a...shirt? A dress? Whatever it was, it was made of this golden gauzy material that let his beauty shine trough.

The reason why he wore something else than the blue kurta?

The Lord had given his shirt to the near-naked angel, cementing his status as 'straight, generous and totally would give His shirt off his back to a girl in need...no matter the species.'

Lucky angel.

Well, not all was lost. Krishna had walked in front of Nanashi...sometime turning around to speak and joke with him. All the while, Shirtless.

It had made the troubles all the more worthwhile.

" Well, you wanted to be a hunter. Didn't you." The Dark Lord asked with some pride as he leaned back onto the bar, holding a lotus flower to his delicate and elegant nose and breaking Nanashi out of his deep meditation.

 _'_ _Y_ _eah, but with demons...how am I supposed to fight without any demons?'_ Krishna sighed. " My dear friend, you have Me the supreme personality of Godhead! You do not **_need_** any so-called demons to protect you. Do not worry, I will take care of you." The Lord assured.

Nanashi slumped on the counter, the day was not even over, and he was starting to have a headache. _'Krishna, you don't exactly look like a fighter, you know.'_

Krishna looked at Nanashi as if he had personally insulted him. The boy...realized that this was God, or at least, that's what Narada said, and he had a strong feeling that the orange sage had been truthful. An yet, this failed to instill fear in him...Krishna was just too...sweet.

Krishna sat straighter, His feathers ruffled. "Oh? I'm not much of a fighter? I will let you know that I have killed and is still killing many powerful demons. Demons that would make whatever is crawling here look like mere field mice."

 _'Go one Kris, impress me.'_ the boy in the greenish hair goaded, he wanted to know without appearing too eager. Sure, Krishna was God and all that...but there seemed to be more to him than simply being the supreme being and controller.

Taking the challenge, the glowing, dark blue teen puffed his chest. " I killed the Putana witch when I was but a few days old." he boasted "This Demoness as had smeared a virulent poison on her breast to kill Me. But, since she approached me in the mood of a mother, I drank her milk."

' _...and how about the poison?'_

"Oh, I drank it along with her life air." He replied as is it was not the first time it had happened.

"Oh..."Nanashi Grunted. He really did not feel well...his head felt as if filled with depleted uranium cotton.

He felt do slow...so sluggish. His brain acting not unlike those really old Portal computer...like the Portal ten edition.

And then something Krishna had said struck him like a pile of brick.

"Wait...you took birth?" Nanashi exclaimed as he sat up, surprising many patrons. Then woefully realizing that he had spoken out loud.

"Well, not exactly. I did, yet not." Krishna explained as He playfully twirled a lotus flower in his hand. A playful smile dancing on his lips.

Where did He get the pink flower...well, The lord would be the best one to know.

"Explanation please?"

Krishna chuckled. "Yes, of course. You see, my dear Kripa, when a human or any living entity takes birth in a particular species and situation, it is not by choice or at random. It is by their karma and their last thought at death."

'W _ait...your talking about reincarnation, right?'_ Nanashi spoke in his heart, careful not to slip up this time. Especially with how the Boss was eyeing him...and Krishna, especially Krishna.

Krishna smiled."Yes, indeed, I am!"

"So Th"- ' ' _That's how it works.'_ Nanashi slipped a bit.

"Yes, reincarnation is the culmination of a whole life worth of impression, reaction to past action and accumulated sins. You see, my dear friend, nothing is left to chance, and everything is under control. Death, the final exam, is but the transition from one body to the next."

"Ah...I see. So how about you?"

The Lord cast a warning sidelong glance at his servant to remind him that he should keep externally quiet.

' _Oops...'_

"While I am beginning-less and thus birth-less, I do appear on this material plane of existence by My own choosing... it's not that I am not present, only that I show myself when I fell like it and to those who deserve it." The Lord clarified.

"Sometimes I appear amidst the cheers and prayers of the afflicted Demi-gods to save them from troubles. Other times, I come out from unlikely places, like a solid marble column to protect and to please my devotees. And others, I appear to take birth and experience growth like a normal human. But the ever so fortunate women who bore me...are eternally my beloved... they are my beloved mothers eternally." He stumbled on his words as his beautiful golden eyes grew misty. "And they come with Me in whatever universe I am so that we may share...so that I may be her Child." Krishna's eyes grew misty as tears gathered in their pinkish corners.

It was...such a beautiful sight.

 _'Where are they now?'_ Maybe he could meet them.

Krishna shook his head as diamond-like tears poured from his eyes. "They are back home.." He obliviously missed them.

"So...you will-" ' _you will leave soon then.' I_ Nanashi tried to stem the quivering of his voice. no need to grieve if Krishna left, its not like he could not live without him or anything, he tried to convonce himself.

"No, I will never leave you." Krishna assured.

 _'Bullshit They all leave eventually.'_ Like his biological mother, His adopted mother, this one friend who was taken by the Asura-kai...

Nikari and Manabu.

and then there was everyone who moved away to other places and forgot about him...

' _So, who is she?'_ Nanashi asked. Curious to know who was the eponymous Mother of God and eager to leave the other subject behind.

The lord let out a massive gust of a sigh, and the entirety on the hunter's association bar gained this indescribably, sweet and cooling fragrance. A soft smile played on his ruby red lips and pure love danced in his golden eyes as he remembered Her. By those signs, the boy in the lion shirt just knew the next things that would come out of the Blue youth mouth would be earth-shatteringly good.

"I... Have many mothers." the Lord began, his voice unsteady. "As my incarnation of Prishnigharba, she is Prishni, As Vamanadeva, she is the mother of all the demi-god, Aditi." He began to enumerate. "When I take birth in the sun dynasty, she is queen Kaushalia And...when I appear as I am, in my original form, the one you see right now..." tears poured from his eyes like a pair of celestial rivers. "I...have two mothers...I was born in Mathura to Devaki Mata in the prison cell of her sinful brother Kamsa. But-' The all beautiful lord closed his eyes as his voice choked with emotion.

"But?" Nanashi prodded, mesmerized at the show of loving emotion playing on Krishna's enchanting face.

"But, the source of all the mothers, the shelter of all the qualities of motherhood and the treasure trove of causeless parental love is none other then...then Yashoda Mayi, the wife of King Nanda, the ruling queen of Vrindavan and she who bound my belly with the rope of her causeless, motherly love."

 _The image of baby Krishna being bound to an upturned grinding mortar was propped upon the altar, at the side of Radha-Govinda. She, like many others, offer the painting a Ghee lamp with as much devotion she could muster._

' _Oh Lord Damodara, please accept this lamp on behalf of Yuki, so that he may take birth in a good Family soon.' She prayed fervently to the Lord bound by the rope of His Mother's pure affection. In her mechanical hands, the lamp burned brightly._

Nanashi shook his head and blinked a few time, what the hell happened?

'I was _a...Robot...'_ He realized...not quite seeing the logic of how he could have been a girl robot worshipping Krishna in his previous life. _'Wait...no, this doesn't make any sense, in my previous life, I was Akira, right?_ _A Hunter...and then A king._ _'_

And Akira was an average human, a straight male, and completely normal human, not whatever he was now.

This...was a bit too much... he put the whole "devoted Gynoid' identity in the back of his mind, was not all that important.

' _I haven't eaten anything solid for a whole month, and I got really beaten up this morning. The whole thing...must be some sort of hallucination.'_ He rationalized, keeping one eye of the most beautiful lord to see how he would react.

Krishna just gave him this very innocent yet heavy look...once again, heavy with love. Privately, Nanashi longed to bask in this warm, causeless...energy. He praised the luck of those born in a woman's body...

' _...Asahi...she's not affected like I am. What the hell is wrong with her?'_ Then he shook his head, dispelling those thoughts and the slight dizziness afflicting him. _'No, Nanashi, better you change the subject before you get really weird.'_

' _So how about us, the soul? When did we start? How did you make us?'_ He asked Krishna, dearly hoping it would not trigger yet another one of those visions.

Krishna smirked, and Nanashi felt as if Manabu was right in front of him. speaking to him the fact of life as they were.

He let the pang in his heartburn then fade with practised ease.

"My dearest Kripa," The Lord pleasantly rumbled. "have you forgotten what my Narada told you about the soul?" The supreme personality of Godhead gave a playful sidelong glance to His servant, and Nanashi realized he already had his answer.

' _I'm the same as you.'_ The wonder that colour his inner voice was undeniable. He had heard it once...well twice. But now, like a curtain being lifted, he partially realized his eternal nature.

' _I'm...not this body...I'm..."_

"The living entity dwelling within this body you call Nanashi...and Krishna Kripa. You are one of my very dear and beloved eternal servant whom, for the past eternity, transmigrated from one body to the next. Sometimes human, sometimes demon, sometimes a demi-god and sometimes a plant or an animal." Krishna slid his left arm around Nanashi's lilt, sore back and shoulder. It was so cooling, and yet he could feel the unlimited power and at Lord's beck and call. "And now, after long, you have come back to my service." The lord choked on some tears.

He leaned his Krishna's soft side, absorbing this feeling of serenity, pure joy and love without expectation.

It felt...Good to be back.

' _No use to deny it Nanashi, you are head over heels for Him.'_

And then he realized the boss was openly glaring at Krishna...he saw the whole thing.

It was time for a subject change then. Again.

 _"...If your mom and dad are rulers, does that mean you are a prince?'_ he asked as he (Regretfully) moved out of the Lord sheltering embrace.

Krishna smiled brightly. "My Narada was right! You _are_ a brilliant young man." He blissfully praised Nanashi. "I am indeed the Vraja-Raja Kumara; the Prince of Vraja."

The unexpected praise made the young Vaishnava punk blushed as he absentmindedly pushed the 'fried chicken' away from him. "C'mon...was not that hard to figure out." He gently muttered as he grabbed the glass of heavily diluted chemical fertilizer, Instead of the demonized human corps.

No...he was not into meat... especially not demon meat. The smell alone was enough to make him gag. But...well there was nothing else to eat.

' _U_ _h That's cool, God likes to herd cows.'_ As he 'said' those words. Krishna leaned back further as His large eyes closed in pure Bliss, definitely pleased at what he was heard.

It was such a breathtaking sight...a sight that satisfied Nanashi more than whatever food, touch, sound, smell and sight he could have experienced.

' _Soo_ _o...whats a cow?'_ He asked Krishna, hoping this question would please him more.

The prince of the cowherd just stared at him for what felt like a full minute. Making the teen feel like the most stupid person in the world.

And then he broke into this childlike, loving smile. "Ah right, you lived under a rock most of your life." He teased, relishing the unhappy blushed that bloomed on Nanashi's pale cheeks, "A Cow is not but a mere animal to be indiscriminately slaughter, but one of the Seven mothers who raise the world. She gives milk, the perfect, most complete food in the world. From milk comes yogourt, yogourt is then churned into sweet, nourishing butter, and from butter, Ghee. From this Ghee, sacrifice to the fire is performed, pleasing Me. Being pleased, I bestow blessings trough the demi-gods and thus slowly elevates Humans to the spiritual platform while giving them all amenity for their own pleasure like rain at the right time, health, progeny and nourishing crops."

"But to be honest." Krishna bashfully scratched his glorious cheek. "I'd rather prefer that this ghee, milk, yogurt and butter be used into making a plethora of sweet and savoury treat. it's just much tastier like this." Sri Krishna, the supreme personality of Godhead admitted as he rubbed this soft belly, and Call him Crazy, but Nanashi was ready to put his hand on fire that he had heard the Lord's stomach growl in hunger.

 _'Right...he didn't eat anything since we met.'_ Nanashi realized. Somehow, this made the Lord that much more approachable...and now his servant began to worry. Krishna was hungry, and there was nothing edible...

Well, there was the onmoraki.

 _'Hell no! I can't even picture Krishna eating a corps of all things.'_

But what could he offer Him? He had so little Macca, and vegetables were devoid of all taste, and those that had some were fertilized with...

yeah, not an Option.

He felt the Lord's loving gaze on him. And sure enough, Krishna was gazing at him with a supremely sweet and grateful smile.

 _'Oh hi, warm, fuzzy feelings...you got pretty intense, didn't you?'_ Externally, he began scowling. "What? Krishna...stop staring at me like that. It's weird." and now the boss was staring even more intensely.

The beautiful youth closed his eyes as his smile grew wider. "Oh, my dearest friend...I know the feelings in your heart."

 _'Shit.'_

"You worry about me...as if I was a human being!" The Lord of the Universe spoke with a voice filled with wonder. "It's...it's wonderful. Thank you."

 _'But...why? I did nothing.'_

this caused Krishna to chuckled as he laid his cool, fragrant, and extremely delicate hand on top of his...

Nanashi's heart fluttered at the gesture and once again cursed his unfortunate birth as a male.

"Oh, my friend. To me, only the thought and feelings matters. not the physical medium."

Nanashi openly stared at Krishna. _'One moment you speak to me all those great words of wisdom, and then the next, you act like a normal human teenager...a sexy, super attractive, tall blue and beyond beautiful teen..._ " Hearing those words, Krishna burst into peals laughter of beautiful laughter.

Under His bliss-inducing gaze and infectious mirth, Nanashi realized he had blurted out something he had wished to keep quiet about.

"A-" _'and how about the rest of those demons? You know, the one you said you killed?"_ There, A better subject.

"You want to know more?" Nanashi nodded discreetly as he sipped some more 'Miracle grow'. Hopping that Krishna would not comment on his slip of the tongue.

"Alright." Krishna leaned back and closed his eyes. His snake-like arm still around his F-servant's shoulder... "After the death of Putana, Kamsa send out more demons to try to kill me." The Lord explained dispassionately, his long, Golden eyes distant. "After the poisonous witch, he sent her brother, the whirlwind demon Trnavartha."

' _Let me guess, he failed.'_ Nanashi internally sighed as the lord let that one slide. He knew he was being extra weird right now...But at the same time, he also knew there were some boundaries not meant to be crossed.

Krishna gave a mild smirk. "He thought he could kill me by dropping My infant form from the stratosphere." He chuckled, dispelling whatever fear could have sprouted in Nanashi's heart. "Little did he know that within me, the entirety of the material and spiritual world reside. Needless to say, he was the one who plummets to his death, crushed under my unlimited weight. He did serve as a nice landing pad though."

It was Nanashi's turn to smirk as he visualized the whole event. _'Alright, that's a bit more impressive. Anyone else?'_

Nanashi's question seemed to break the Lord out of his reveries. "Ah...Yes...after that, on the Celebration of the start of my Crawling phase, a body-less demon took over a cart and tried to crush me under it."

The boy cringed...He had the misfortune of seeing crushed bodies. "Dang...He really wanted you dead, didn't he?" He then realized he'd spoken out loud again, but this time, the boss was talking with Flynn of the side. Still keeping an eye on Krishna despite the animated conversation he had with the younger man.

"I struck one of the wheels with my heels, and his days of sinning where done and over with...my poor mother though was at her wit's end." the Lord spoke regretfully, obliviously reliving the events as He narrated them.

' _No shit_ _. I don't know how your mother could survive seeing her Son getting almost killed by demons before he turned one.'_ And in hindsight, even the Putana demoness sounded like a gruesome woman.

He...felt the name to be very familiar somehow. But then, if he were to trust his visions.

' _wait...why should I trust those visions? I was Akira before...right? And that blue-haired boy, that's just this weird recurring dreams, right? I mean, no human has blue hair...'_

"Yuki naturally has blue hair and blue eyes...as you have green hair and yellow eyes." Krishna turned to the teen and, once again, it was the Lord of all Lord that spoke. "I could tell you more about those visions...but you are not ready for the truth, not yet at least."

' _Why? Come on Kris, what's going on here? Am I Akira? or..."_ If he were _Not_ Akira and but the other person of this memory...it would destroy everything that he considered reality...and After meeting Mister friendly, Aka God Himself...aka Krishna, Nanashi had more then enough paradigm shift to last him a lifetime or two.

Krishna gazed at Nanashi for the longest time, assessing him with unclouded eyes. The young punk shivered, all of his secrets where exposed, all his lies brought to light. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then licked his plump, sweet, red lips and finally spoke.

"Kripa...You are the eternal soul, separated from this body made of flesh and sixteen elements which includes the mind and the false ego. You never took birth, nor will you die. This body that you are in, like all bodies, is temporary, meaning, it does not exist in the past, nor will it endure in the future. This body only exists in the present."

' _Krishna...what are you getting at?'_ Nanashi asked with a raised brow, he was really not into cryptic message and shit. He liked it when things were simple.

"What I am saying is this;" Krishna explained without really looking at Nanashi. Once again, his eyes distant. "The false Identity of Akira does not apply to you anymore, Nor did the other previous identity as the sister of Yuki. Right, now, you are Kanzanami Krishna Kripa, and later you will have another identity. That's all I can tell you for now." He concluded.

 _'But why?'_

Krishna turned fully to Nanashi, making the boy shiver in both bliss and a bit of awe. His contrite eyes never failing at inducing a plethora of feelings deep within the young punk's heart. "Dearest friend, I would love to disclose everything to you. But as we speak, it is neither the time, the place, nor the circumstances. Just...Be patient, and everything will be revealed to you. And no, it will not end in a blood bath, this I swear to you."

This...was not what Nanashi wanted to hear. He once again slumped on the dirty bar, sipping his drink like most patrons were. Yes, he knew Krishna had some secrets, but at the same time...

At the same time, he wanted to know what was happening to him, he had the distinct feeling he _needed_ to know. No, he already knew...but the knowledge was behind a curtain, just beyond the boy's reach.

It was beyond frustrating, but what could he do?

As he finished his life-giving drink, Nanashi let his hearing drift toward Flynn and his Adopted father.

"Anyhow." Flynn brought back their attention to him. "We'll be heading to Ginza next, to meet with Masakado. I will return to you after that."

A smile bloomed on the Bosses sober face, and the rest of the demons hunters gave a loud cheer for their messiah, Nanashi arose from his seats, ready to bide goodbye to the saviour of Tokyo.

And then something miraculous happened; Flynn walked to Nanashi, put his right hand on the back of God's latest servant and smiled.

"Actually...I wanted to speak to you before I left."

"ah...Really? But...I'm a nobody."

"Not to me, everyone is Tokyo count." Flynn smiled warmly as he sat beside the boy as an old friend.

Nanashi...did not share the feeling, but simply awe at the fact that _FLYNN THE FREAKING LIBERATOR wanted to speak to him._

"Yeah...sure...w...What t..do you want to spoo about?"

' _real smooth Nanashi...real smooth.'_ Well, not just awe robbed him of his ability to speak...but also the repeated dream of the Liberator cutting his head to 'save' everyone...only to have the whole plan backfire horribly.

"I just wanted to check up on you...Aegis, was it?"

 _'Oh my God, he already knows my hunter name!'_ "Yes...Yes I. Yeah that's me now." He felt so flustered, and Nanashi lost all his words.

"You looked quite pale and tired as we came back. You fought a very powerfull angel at the sky tower, and I was worried that he may have wounded you."

"Nah, just some scratches and burns, nothing really big or spectacular." Like this morning. "I just needed some food in." He sipped from his glass again, now noting that it didn't taste strong enoug. _'Oh crap...and we are running out again.'_

Flynn gave a dubious glance at the liquid. "This...does not look worthy of human consumption."

"Well...Still better than demon meat." He gave another sip. Calculating how much vital element was in the water and coming up with some very low number. _'It's just blue water...that's it, Greg has to go.'_

Flynn lowered his eyes as his resolved grew.

"Listen, when I defeat Merkabah and Lucifer, and the celestial vault will be lifted, I promiss you that I will personaly treath you to a feast."

Image of a hall packed with people eating off the floor met Nanashi's mind's eyes. and once again, this blue-haired boy...Yuki smiled to no end as he ate from a paper plate more food than usual.

"Aegis? Is everything alright?" Flynn asked.

"Affirmative."

A very uncomfortable moment pass as Flynn owlishly stared at Nanashi as if he had grown a second head.

The next thing he knew, the samurai of Hope gave him a whole loaf of fresh bread.

 _'Oh wow! It smells so good...oh, Krishna.'_ The punk feing to take the loaf as he slid it to Krishna. _'Here...please eat this. It's bread, real bread!'_ He felt the lord take the loaf, and then the sound of the crust told him that the offering had been accepted.

That, and the sound of pure satisfaction that God emitted as he savoured the daily bread.

"Thank you so much!"

Once again, Flynn stared, his mouth slightly open and his green eyes wide. "...What...Ah."

"Oh, Hari's a friend. He saved my life this morning and ow he's hangign around. I think he liked the bread." Nanashi glanced back at a very satisfied Krishna joyfully chewing a mouthfull of the daily bread." yeah, he liked it!" He smiles broadly as he turned back to Flynn.

"A-ah...I see." the samurai squinted a bit. "Well, I am glad your friend appreciated. As long as you get your part, that is."

Oh...That was supposed to go to him.

"Now, there's something else I'd like to ask. It's not related to any quest, or even saving the world. It's simply a personal inquiry of mine."

"Yeah, shoot."

"Where did you find this shirt?" Flynn spoke as he eyed the brand new printed shirt. "I have never seen anything so...rightous in my life."

"Ah...A friend...A friend gave it to me... But, I can give it to you if you like"

"No, It's alright. Please keep it" Flynn raised his two hands, a gentle smile on his lips. "Can I take a picture of it though?"

' _Oh my GOD!' "_ Sure!" Nanashi practically jumped off the barstool, pulling the shirt taut, his face bright with a goofy grin as the Samourai of Hope took a few pictures of the shirt (and the boy that was in it) on his digital camera.

In the background, unseen by all including his dear servant, Krishna smile as he lovingly gazed at yet another dear servant.

"Flynn, It's time to go." Isabeau reminded the samurai, coming back from Asahi's side of the bar. Her red eyes weary as her gaze fell on Nanashi's green scar.

He had also ran out of tapes...thankfully, no one in the hunter association outlet had noticed...expet for her.

"Indeed." Flynn paced the camera in his bag again and bid farewell to one who should have been his friend. Nanashi gazed at him until he wad out the door and the gossip started.

He could hardly wait for his triumph, and yet, Nanashi was also well aware that nothing was over until either the lid was lifted, the angels and demons met their end...Of Flynn failed.

Time would tell.

As he returned to his seat, he noticed that the loaf of bread was there, completely intact. not even a bite had been taken out.

 _'Krishna...Why did you leave it here, it was for you.'_ Nanashi could not hide his disappointment.

"I already ate, you may take the rest." Krishna gave one of his ever-fresh smile that never failed to make Nanashi's heart melt. The boy dubiously eyed the intact piece of sourdough. "I swear on the head of my Mother and the nine million cows of my father that I ate this bread." Krishna grabbed the loaf and playfully stuffed it in his servant's mouth.

An incredible flavour filled nanashi's mouth; it was sour, yet crispy, and Nanashi could taste an indescribable sweetness from the soft and moist piece of bread.

As he blissfully chewed on his first-ever solid meal in a few years, he felt Krishna slid His lotus behind Nanaashi's left ear. The teen paused his eating to stare at the lord.

Krishna was reclining on the bar, his playfull eyes not leaving Nanashi, fiiling his with...with...

So far, time told him that everything would be alright.

* * *

"Hare Krishna, Mukhara speaking." A short woman answered her headset in the middle of a busy park in the late afternoon. She wore a dark violet dress with long sleeves and a pair of black leggings.

The otherworldly woman had short, platinum hair naturally styled as two erected horns. She wore glasses, a bag for her chanting beads and a Tulasi leave tilaka proudly proclaimed to which Vaishnava sect she belonged too.

" _Hare Krishna Mukhara, All glories to Srila Prabhupada."_ Spoke the man at the other end of the connection.

Mukhara's Golden eyes shone with Bliss from behind her vintage glasses as she folded her prosthetic hands in reverence. "Oh Maharajah, All glories!" She greeted him with joy. "How are you? How may I serve you right now?" she asked as she moved away from the busy Edmonton park lane to somewhere less busy and noisy, and with a convenient bench.

" _Well, as fine as I can get at 95 and with a new pair of knees."_ Her beloved spiritual master reminded his disciples of this fact. Mukhara's eyes, lost their shine, Her Guru-deva, her Savior and link Back to Govinda was getting on with age, and while his health was still good, and his body completely spiritual, it was cleared he longed to return back home back to Godhead.

She...didn't want him to leave. And yet she knew it was an eventuality even Erin's hourai elixir* could not prevent. Love is, after all, the most potent of power; and pure love for Krishna is even more so.

"You don't have to stay Maharajah. You can go when you want...I'll...I already went through a horrible heartbreak, I can survive a second one." Not really, but she didn't want her Guru-deva to suffer further.

"Mukhara...I can't, Not yet at least." He hinted, "Now, enough about me. How are you?" He emphasized.

"I'm fine, Maharajah. It's been years since I've been in Canada. The Edmonton Yatra has improved tremendously since the last time I visited."

"Yes, I am well aware of that. But how about you?" Rupanuga swami interrupted her, his concern was resounding clearly in his wizened voice.

"Maharajah... I.. I've told you, everything is fine now. I feel alive again, I go to sankirtan practically every day and my workshop is filled with the finest and most affordable Archa-Vigraha of the lord. I sleep fine, I eat fine, and all my rounds are chanted." she enumerated. And then her guts told her something was...not amiss, but it was clear her Guru-deva had something to say...something that caused the saintly man to worry about her well being more than usual.

Once again, the sombre realization of the dept she had toward her Master brought tears to her eyes. He was a real father to his disciple...and to whoever needed him. He had saved here, and weather she was preaching in Russia or Kenya, she still felt him close, leading her and advising her from within.

"Guru-deva...you have something to tell me, don't you?" Mukhara sat down, whipping the tears away..

At the other end of the connection, her Guru-deva let out a heavy sighed and stayed silent for some time. Obliviously, He had something weighty to say.

"Mukhara...Are you sitting down?"

' _OK, either he has six months to live, one of my godbrother or sister is about to die, some of our more troublesome members have breached the none aggression contract or...'_ She took a deep breath in and silently recited the Narashimgha-Kavacha. _'no, no use letting my mind run wild.'_

"Yes, Maharajah, I'm sitting down. Just tell me plainly."

"Alright...Her worshipable honour, Shiki Eiki Ya-ma-xana-du* just sent me a letter with some... confusing news concerning your family."

Mukhara raised her brows. "Really? Why didn't she contact me directly then, and didn't she received her initiation recently?" she asked as she ran a prosthetic hand into her horned shaped hair.

"She uses her old name for official business. And she knew you would believe me."

She could feel a headache mixed with a heartache coming her way. "Alright...I'm all ears."

She could just hear her Guru-deva composing himself. And it scared her to no end.

"Your son Died yesterday."

pause.

"Wait...no it can't...But he died-"

"Fourteen years ago, I know. But Madam Eiki was clear about this point."

"Oh, Krishna...Oh, Gauranga..."

"Mukhara... I'm not done yet."

Away from the public, the disciple of the Walking monk let out a whimper as the horrible memory of that Sunday afternoon assaulted her.

Her son, Lord Krishna's causeless miracle...

She knew he had died the moment the EKG blared for a whole minute and the desire to save her little boy waned from the heart of the ER staff.

She whipped away the streaming tears from her eyes as she recomposed herself. The pain may have faded away, but it had still left a mark that would never completely fade.

"OK...What else is there to know...and do we have some clues how my dear K.K died twice?"

"Well, that's the thing. He didn't."

It took her a slight moment to restart her brain after that one. Then her mind raced to try to find how could this incongruity even exist. And then...she remembered...

After his funeral, no ashes came back...

There had been talking about it, a horrible conspiracy theory that had given her false hope for a time. But soon, this illusion broke...

But now, this terrible nightmare... _'Those were not just hearsay,_ _my shishu_ _h_ _ad been kidnapped.'_

Anger began to burn, but, after years of practice, she knew how to control it.

' _Ah, it doesn't matter, my baby would have grown as a stranger...as someone probably doesn't know Krishna...probably an anarcho-atheist. And probably wouldn't care much about dharmic principle and the Path of Bhakti."_ She rationalized, keeping her emotions away from herself and acting with detachment.

It still stung though and made her quest for an answer burn brightly.

' _May I get a chance to have them? Or is it yet another dead end?'_

"Anything else I have to know? Where did he die? When? How?" Mukhara spoke briskly, burying the weeping mother under the veil of professionalism. It would be illogical to get overly emotional over something she had grieved enough about.

"that's...another mystery. The report said that he passed from this world right in the middle of Kinshicho park at 8:51 last evening. And yet, it also said he was in Aogikahara also."

Mukhara's brows shot up as she sat straighter.

"No...Not that's not possible. I was in a Sankirtan there...no one died! It was jammed packed, and Radha was there also! She would have smelled him!"

"So...I believe we have a mystery on our hands." Her Guru concluded. "what do you want to do now?"

"Whatever you see it as the best option, Maharajah." Personally, she would love to investigate the Aogikahara forest hermitage for some time now. But the Celestial mai-Mother Held her Guru's desires above her own and anybody else.

"Hmm...I feel that you have to look into that matter..." Rupanuga Swami carefully deliberated. "I've got a hunch you may find something...at least you'll be able to get closure and an adventure to boot."

"yes Maharajah...thank you."

"Why for?"

"Maharajah, When Krishna passed a-...when he was taken from me, I...we could not do his final rite. And...and I now have so many questions."

"You want answers."

"We all want them. I know it was by Krishna's will, not an atom moves without his desire, and to lose him...to have our child kidnapped at such a young age and all that drama. That was my karma, and we all know we deserve much worst...but..." her voice chocked once more. "I want closure...just to put yet another one of my spectacular failures to rest..."

A moment of silence descended on the Master and His disciple.

"And I think my K.K was taken by a hermit. So that's another reason to shove my nose in yet another adventure."

"Hmm, I see. And how do you know It's a hermit?"

"Kundalini Devi Dasi just knows one sennin who is staying somewhere in Aogikahara. And Krishna...His birth, his body and his parents are not mundane, and I do know one...person, who has a knack for collecting interesting personality for her own pleasure." she shuddered. "she was also into sneaking into places she shouldn't. I just didn't expect her to have remained in Japan."

"You are referring to your old 'teacher' aren't you?"

Mukhara made a face, the mere remembrance of this... wicked person was enough to sen shivers down her spine. "Yes..."

"Alright, I understand." He sighed. "Just be careful and return to me in one piece this time."

"yes, Maharajah, I will." Mukhara grinned as she flexed all of her ball joints.

"Alright, and may Krishna protect you...and Krishna Kripa."

* * *

"Take over."

"Yes boss." the new trainee spoke with much more confident, it seemed meeting Flynn and Isabeau had given the poor man a boost in much-needed confidence.

' _Not just the rookies, everyone got affected by him.'_ Oh yeah, the samurai of hope was all, and more then what the Tokyoite population need and wanted; He was their life, the assurance that their wish to see the light again was not so far-fetch as first thought. Looking around the dark bar, he could only see his man (and woman) carrying big smiles on their face and bright eyes, and while booze flowed freely from the tap, everybody was too busy floating of a cloud of bliss to even take a sip.

' _Oh well, they can waist as much booze as they want,_ _as long as they are sober when we need them._ _'_ He did not have any illusion, he knew many more association Master would send their best man, more would actively participate. And all man (and woman) had to prep and get ready for the grand slam.

They all knew full well that they may not survive the fight. But those who fought only had one aim...to make sure Flynn succeeded so that the next generation could live without constant fear, free to see the sun, the moon and the stars without having a feathered fiend spoiling their first date...and demons chewing on the remains.

The Boss also knew there was a whole lot of revenge involved, many hunters had scores to even out with the two factions.

And then there was the Ring of Gaia and the Asurakai.

' _Nope_ _, it won't be all that rosy all that soon. With every big shift of power...Oh Axiom above, this will be a huge mess.'_ The boss realized, there was no way the two marginal groups would not try to establish their own ways after the whole thing would blow over. Taking over most of the population with promise of fame, power, woman, money and plenty intoxication. Well, maybe the rings of Gaea would be easier to deal with since their leader was dead at the hands of Flynn, but the 'Kai?

The boss shook his head, no. He would not let that get in the way of a beautiful event. Yes, there would still be plenty of problems with the whole political climate. But at least he could finally leave this terrible barman job...

He had enough of seeing the grieving waste away their lives in cheap booze over the loss of friends, family and lovers. It reminded him too much about his dad and how his liver just gave up, leading him on the path of a slow, agonizing death.

The Boss of Kinshicho entered his own private bedroom and heavily sat down in on his worn-out couch, being equally worn out from the day's event. And he knew it would not end soon.

Oh no, the fate of his guild, the funerals of Nikkari and Manabu and two other good men, his daughter and adopted son's adventure...and around fifty more social and material issue all amounted to his usual load of stress plus unwanted extra. So much so that the impromptu visit of Flynn and Isabeau did very little to mitigate his worry.

The boss removed his shoes and glasses, laying back to try to get some forty winks...but his mind had other ideas...like re-posting this image of his boy being embraced by this so-called Persona. Hari, he had called him.

"Bullshit...Hari's not a persona." He should know, he had one.

Personas had no personality, they where just an extension of their owners. They had no free wills, could take no initiative and would simply return to where personas go when not on the battlefield.

Hari...did not follow this well established constant. from what he could see, the flute bearing being had a personality; laid-back, expressive, flirty, self-assured and possessive of Nanashi...a bit too possessive. He could talk to his son, probably had free will and, most worryingly of all, he was still out and very friendly with his boy.

And he had embraced his son so lovingly...this male entity had his adopted son in his too-long arm, glowing with joy...

The Boss closed his eyes as he rubbed them; He knew Nanashi was not human and his taste was...not in line with many people nowadays, especially with how low and old the population was getting. They needed new blood...

Of course, with Nanashi being...part plant, the prospect of him having human descendant was slim at best...or even having descended, if the good doctor was right. A lack of everything made sure of that. But...not many knew that, and the boss made sure it was one secret even the hunter association was not privy to.

And now this stranger, this glowing, human-like creature bearing a crooked grin, more beautiful then Adonis and more attractive then Narcissus and made cupid looked repulsive compared to him was now being a bit too friendly with his boy.

Oh, the Boss may need glasses, but one had to be really blind and deaf not to notice the being shamelessly Hitting on Nanashi, only still an innocent boy despite it all.

And Nanashi in all of this?

Very quickly falling under the strange creature's spell...and too fast for the boss to do anything about it. Well, he could speak to his wise son, but something told the boss this was not something he could simply stop with a sound grounding.

' _Well...at least he seemed to care about Nanashi somewhat..."_ He closed his eyes as he tried to drift to sleep. but his mind would not let him have this grace. "O _h Who am I kidding? It had only been a day, and already this demon has his bloody hands all over him!'_

And nobody in the association did anything to stop him. There was no reaction when this...Hari floated in, nor was there a reaction from Flynn when he was talking to Nanashi.

Asahi...could, she sees him? Was he the reason why she was holding an angel in her phone? And was the bloody harpy wearing Hari's shirt in the first place?

"Maybe...maybe it's just some hallucination. I must be working too hard again."

But this didn't sound right. This Hari...Nanashi could see him, he spoke to him. And yes, even touch. Meaning he was real for two persons.

Still...there was something about this being; He...was surprisingly familiar. _'I know I've seen him before, but where?'_ He closed his eyes, trying to dredge up from where this Lustful being came from.

And then, it hit him like a sack of brick.

" _Haribol, Junpei-san!" Yuki greeted him heartily, an uncharacteristic smile illuminating his usual dour face. beside him was Aegis dressed as an Indian woman also glowing with natural bliss and colour powder... They had come back late at night after a festival held by the 'other' cultist, the Hare Krishna._

The Boss, Junpei, all but jumped out of the couch at the images of his deceased high school friend at his happiest.

 _"No...Oh, sweet axiom..."_ He hoped he was wrong, he _really_ hoped he was dead wrong.

He rushed to his closet and pulled out the massive trunk that was buried under clothing, ammo, and whatever else he had stuffed there.

Taking a deep breath in, he braced himself for what was inside.

Then, he opened the trunk of all things related to those who had left way to early.

His wife's picture, wedding ring in a silk bag and unfinished picture book met him.

Then there was the picture of his father...death by liver cirrhosis.

' _At least I got to have a bit of quality time with my old man before he kicked the bucket.'_ His father had managed to sober somewhat up for his only son's marriage, had even given his blessing for plenty of children and long life for Junpei and his new bride.

' _Yeah...he was not sober when he blessed us...should have known it would backfire.'_

He moved on from the only happy picture of his dad he had left to the biggest stratum, the result of his obsession with his best friend and, S.E.E.S field leader; Makoto Yuki.

After his unexplained death and disappearance, Junpei and the rest of the gang had begun a frantic search for the body's location. To no avail. And yet, even if they did not find his remains, they had discovered more about Yuki's tragic and...unexplained past then they had cared to learn.

He had no birth certificate, was a natural blunet and greenish-yellow blood. He had a loving family consisting of a father, Makoto Koki who used to be the Fukushima plant director, a stay at home mother by the name of Makoto Toshie, with a background in electrical engineering and an elder sister named Makoto Hamuko, a high school graduate.

All had died in a horrible car accident on the Moonlight bridge, saved Yuki, who had miraculously survived.

Well, his body did. But the whole experience had left him orphaned and emotionally dead. Add to that the way his (many) so-called foster family he had treated him and his PTSD, it was a miracle he did not commit suicide...but from what he had learned from one very loose lips councillor, Yuki was practically a dead man walking, just doing what was expecting to him without really caring about any consequence.

Just waiting for death...

He...was well known to the constable. Not that he was part of a bad crowd...he was just too pretty to be left alone by the creepers.

Which was the reason why he had been transferred to Iwatodai...officially anyway.

No, reminiscing about his mysterious friend was not why he had plunged into the past; he was here for a picture, a picture taken around a month after the Nyx avatar had been soundly defeated and the humanity saved...whether they liked it or not.

Digging deeper, Junpei moved the cult trinket Yuki had amassed over the final month of his life; some prayer beads in dark blue bag, a key chain with the world goofiest smiley face named Jagannath, the worlds weirdest spider plush toy and some book by an individual called 'A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.'

' _Still, don't know what possessed Aegis into letting Yuki join this Hare Krishna cult. Maybe they managed to hack her system.'_ The Boss mussed. _'No...I don't think they had the technology to do that. Still, he's dead...'_

They must have made him drink some 'cool-aid' after those orange cultists had learned of his orientation. His nature as an alien... Or something along those lines.

' _He had been fine the week before...definitely happier too. Had a cold but...hmm.'_ he internally hummed as he paused his rummaging. _'Maybe it was exhaustion. I mean, I was pretty beat up after Tartarus and the failed fall...But, we had months to recover and work up our grade, and I know Yuki's heart was not into his study, never where really. His health took a turn when he started staying at that place.'_ Junpei shook the idea away, it was all in the past now.

' _But not far enough... I swear, I've seen this Hari somewhere..."_ he grumbled as he resumed his search.

And then, he found it...Yuki's favourite picture.

It was a pair of marble statues, the white one was definitely a woman dressed as an anime Indian princess, her wide blue eyes almost touching her hears. But the white icon was not his focal point. It was the black one.

Bent in three places in an alluring pose, a holding a golden flute to his cherry-red lips, a dreamy smile that stole the mind of all.

' _That's him...that's Hari.'_ colds sweat and anger's fire fought for dominion within the Boss as he tried to quell the horror welling up in his gut.

"You didn't have enough of Yuki, now you want my son." he all but snarled at the pretty picture, crushing it. "Not on my watch."

Getting up from his kneeling position, Junpei reached withing his closet for two items that would aid him; His sword, and his evoker. The modified gun still held so many memories...so many battles against shadows and yet another cult.

And an epic battle to save the world too...from Yuki's ex Boyfriend.

' _Alright, time to get back into action.'_ He resolved as he tied the belt around his waist...or tried too.

As it turned out, he was much thinner back then.

' _...I think I'll need some de-rusting first...yeah, sound like a plan.'_

And maybe just to try if a scare tactic would work first, Nanashi was pretty wise and would probably get the hint. If not...

Strike!

* * *

Here you go, chapter four in all of its glories.

Half of it would have been significantly different, and a good chunk got removed and replaced too.

Also, remember, this is a triple crossover between SMT, Persona and Touhou project. As you may have noticed by now.

Also, should I merge the smt and the persona tag together and make it an SMT/Touhou Project crossover, o I just leave it as it is?

...technically, there also a good chunk from our Holy scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Chaitanya Charitamrita. With some things lifted for the Krishna in Vrindhavan book series.

The first set of books is under the authorship of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder Acharya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The Krishna in Vrindavan series is from one of his disciples, His Holiness Shivaram Swami.

Yes...I'm doing some shameless promotion there because of how much I ow to those great personalities, more then I could write. Let me glorify their names for without them...

I would be either a junkie or a Hikimomori...

or both.

They have all saved my insignificant life...out of love for a complete stranger.

Please leave a comment...a nice one, constructive criticism or any question you may have. I will do my best to answer.

Om Tat Sat.


	5. Chapter 5 Spark!

after having my computer and a few more electronic stolen, i am so happy I can post this chapter. also, thank you to all that are reading this story, following and even recomanding it toother. I promiss, the plot is picking up.

 **Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna HareHare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.**

" Alright, let see." the Redhead spoke as her only her tails could be seen poking from the back of the van. "Body Bags?"

"We only need one." Mukhara commented as she looked over her third quad of prosthetic limbs. she had no idea what would be awaiting her since every hermitage were indifferent.

"Alright, 'one' body bag and two harinam chadars. " Radha-Shyamasundara Devi dasi spoke with experience. "and...ok, what else do we need. Enough clothes for a week."

"three days in enough, I don't plan for staying longer than needed."

"Seven days it is...gotta bring'em buckets too. And laundry detergent."

Mukhara sighed, she loved her little godsister to bits, but sometime, the hellcat would be overly fussy...

And yet, the amount of time her fuss and overpacking saved her life, the hermit simply surrendered to her loving care and prayed to God they wouldn't need those two body bags. one was more then enough.

Of course, a hermitage in the middle of Aogikahara meant that there would be very little food there. Mostly the remnant of whoever was stuck there and whatever the tourist and uncivilized two-legged pigs would leave behind.

"And how about food, how much did you bring?"

"One big bag of dhal, one big bag of rice and some sun-dried veggies from Uttara."

"Oh?" Mukhara perked up at the name of yet another Godsister. "You got some news with those also?"

"yeah, the old nuclear generator is finally scrubbed clean, and it got the green light from the GBC to convert it into ISKCON Chernobyl eco-village."

"Haribol!" Mukhara's countenace brightened.

"Hare Krishna! Let me tell you, Uttara told me she has never been happier in her life. I mean, after being saddled with those nucular powers of her, doing something that constructive really boosted her confidence."

Mukhara nodded, knowing what the hell corvid went trough and the feeling that accompanied it. "That's good, as long as she remains humble about it."

"Yeah, that's exactly what Maharaj told her. Still, it's good to see her walking with her head held high...in a humble way."

"sure...in a 'humble' way."

"Hey, she improved a whole lot, alright." the red head peeked out of the van again looking disoleased at the words of her Elder in devotion.

Mukhara smiled. "Yes, Indeed she did. What is happening to her is simply a test, Krishna wants to see how she will handle the fame that will follow her."

"Were lready famous, renovating a nuclear power plant ain't gonna change that. " Radha paused for a bit before resuming her packing list Her mood now definitely more sombre.

"I've...also brought some maha sandalwood paste, a maha prasadam garland from Madhava, maha water and some maha Tulasi patra from Pancha-tattva's lotus feet. Oh, and some Narashimha oil and a conch shell..."

"Are we really going to bring all this?"

"well yeah. I mean, yer son's probably committed enough sin to warrant the big guns."The Kasha quietly spoke.

Mukhara rolled her eyes as she, the millionth time today, send a heartfelt prayer to the Lord to be merciful to her departed son. "And I thought he stopped being my son the moment he died."

Yes, even after death, teenagers will always need their parents to bail them out of sticky situations.

Radha-Shyamasundhara Devi Dasi poked her head out from the hatch, he red braid contrasting against the dark interior of the van and the dimming light of the day. "Yah never stop thinking of him as anything else but yer son."

"Yes..." Mukhara admitted as she let her tears fell unimpeded. She should feel ashamed for her attachement...and yet, as she had learned from her Guru, for a woman to cry over a lost son is nothing to be embarrassed about. Even Krishna's mother, Devaki, cried for years over the deaths of her six previous children.

Besides, she knew the philosophy by heart and knew full well that he would soon take another body in a few months...after having paid his due in hell.

Wich was why Radha had brought the sacred remnants; to get him out and onto another family ASAP.

She felt a gentle, comforting hand on her back. Sure enough, Radha had jumped out the van to give comfort to her elder in devotion. the Kasha wore a very practical green kurta and cream coloured pants, a shawl of the same colour covered her breast and head. A yellow urdapunda tilaka adorned her forehead and a three strands Tulasi neclace rested on her neck.

No words where needed between the two, now rendered inseperabe by years of joint service and a type of love only the Servants of Rada-Krishna were privy to.

'F _rom a corps eating hellcat to a soft-hearted, emphatic Vaishnavi...Radha came from so far.'_

Especially for one of the youkai who ate her limbs.

"Alright, that's enough tears for today." Mukhara broke her petty pity party. "the night is falling, and I'd rather not waste any more time."

"Yeah, me neither. It's nightfall, ghosties are about to go active. Better catch them when they ain't in a bad mood yet."

And with that, the cat and the hermit finished their preparation, prayed to the half-lion half-man incarnation of Krishna and plunged withing the darkened ocean of tree. Looking first for some clues to the possible location to the hidden realm...or, if they were where lucky, Krishna Kripa Himself.

Of course, they did not count on it since, after fifteen years, he was not a baby anymore. And while he would probably look like both of his mothers-especially the mother that gave the seed, recognizing him on sight and smell would not be realistically feasible.

Well, they could hope. But this would amount to finding a piece of straw in a pile of needles.

After an hour or so of search and plenty of Vaishnava exorcism, they realized a worrying trend; Most ghosts were afflicted with insanity. They kept repeating about how "all was a lie' and 'I need to tell the others' and the likes.

It was extremely heartening, to say the least, to see those poor tortured soul move on to another body, and a lucky few to Vaikuntha. It was the fuel that kept the two Vaishnavi going strong, even with so many children and young women with broken subtle bodies groaning along like Hollywood movie zombies. Their heads bearing holes and leaking ectoplasm as red as blood.

"after this...Lets serve in the Mayapur goshala."

"With the calves?"

"With the calves."

Finally, after following the trail of Ghosts, they reach the eponymous mount fuji's eternal ice cave.

"Holly cra-carpet-wax-monster-foxtrot-tango-voicmail-diego montoya!"

Mukhara stared sideways at her Godsister, whose tails were twitching and puffed up like a pair of angry feather-dusters. The poor cate was on the ball of her feet as she stared at the darkened, ghost riddled entrance.

"...So, I take it that it is worse than I thought."

"worst then you thought?" Radha looked at the hermit as if she had managed to grow a second head."Worst then you-Girl, this is like twelve times worst the old crack between Gensokyo and Makai. The amount of miasma leaking through it is... it's freaking astronomical!"

Mukhara let out a very shaky breath; this was not the first hermitage she had raided. But she had never seen nor felt such amount of polluted ether in her short stint as the huntress of her own kind.

 _'Oh, Shishu...what have you gotten into'_ She wondered as both she and her Godsister walked into the legendary frozen cave.

' _what the hell have I gotten myself into?'_ Nanashi asked as he stared as their Client, a certain Nozomi, revealed herself to be a Fairy by the name of Napaea.

It had all started when Asahi, intoxicated with her brand new title of 'professional hunter' Had picked a challenge quest for them to do. And Thankfully, she had been wise enough not to pick the highest one. Even if her dearest Brother had the distinct feeling he would be able to pull through the toughest one with Krishna's help... Even if the Lord did not really do much. So far, at least.

But, as the excitable 15-year girl had once again dragged off her brother to yet another adventure...she forgot something fundamental. Vital even.

She had forgotten to check if her dear brother had finished his heavily watered down fertilizer.

The answer was, unfortunately, no. After the excitement of having Flynn speak to him. Nanashi, between bites of the heavenly bread, had Talked Krishna's ears off about the samurai of hope, and how he had given everyone the chance to dream of the sun again. Completely forgetting about the blue liquid.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead had been less than impress, to say the least. And as he was about to explain why Flynn was not bigger then slice bread, Asahi had grabbed her brother by the wrist, dragging him off to Ueno...

Well, more like sicking him to whatever demons she saw

and collecting whatever body part that was left.

of course, after his talk witch Krishna and how tired he felt, Nanashi was more into negotiating a safe passage then to fight demons

And thus, after a relatively short time, Ueno was traverse, 'Nozomi' was met, and Nanashi had his first ride ever in a terminal.

It was horrible...

Long story short, he, Asahi and the Lord (And Asahi's Angel.) there now in the very pink, very fragrant Magical fairy forest. Meeting the real Nozomi, and (Finally) getting the detail on Their official challenge quest.

Asahi was, Nanashi could barely focus on what the blond fairy queen was talking about.

He felt terribly tired from the fight with those demons who wanted to test their might against the Killer of Adramelech. He could barely keep his eyes open.

' _Man...being famous Sucks...'_

But there was something that made the whole trip worthwhile; Krishna's reaction to the forest.

Krishna...looked right at home in this setting. The pink petals raining on his dark blue body, his flute playing and dancing steps. All of was enough to make Nanashi forget his hunger pain and the fogginess that accompanied it.

Then the Lord turned his loving golden gaze toward him...and his smile fell.

 _'No...Krishna, why are you sad? '_ He scowled as he tried to prevent his brain from shutting with little to no success.

' _wait...shit...no again...'_

"Kripa? Kripa!" Krishna was right beside him...he could smell his fragrance, feel his soft hands. He sounded worried.

Why?

He felt something to his lips; it was gritty...like a stone. And tasted like earth. His lips touched something wet, the smell was spicy, fresh...and sulfury.

And heartbreakingly familiar.

"Kripa, please drink."

And he did...

It was sour, salty, savoury with a sweetness he could not describe. He could taste some spice he knew form a long time ago, a taste he could recognize, but not name.

Eventually, this beverage made its effect, and Nanashi's lethargy slowly ebbed until he could finally sit straight and hold the container by himself. Half chugging, Half savouring the content until he could drink no more.

"Kripa...are you feeling better?" That was Krishna, He was supporting Nanashi up with great care, it was clear he was still concerned about him.

"Yeah...Loads better." He admitted. Still leaning against his Lord. "what is it?" He asked as he peered inside the terracotta pot. The content was pure white with a speck of yellow and green.

"It's called chaas, or spiced buttermilk." the Lord answers. "Kripa...what happened?"Krishna asked with deep concern creasing his spotless forehead.

"We would like to know too." He heard a woman, and sure enough...there was the blond, bodacious...

"wait...who are you?" Nanashi asked, It was the client, but with his momentary faint, he had forgotten her name.

She gave a wane smile. "My name is Nozomi, The new fairy queen."

"Oh yeah!" All glories to his cleared mind. "I'm Aegis. But you can also call me Nanashi if you'd like."

"Aegis, huh? I like it."

"Kripa?" Krishna brought back His servant's attention to him.

Right...

"I...I didn't eat for over a month..." He shamefully admitted. It not that he didn't like eating, he just preferred not to puke each time demon meat was on his plate.

Nazomi's eyes grew wide behind her green safety glasses. "Wait! You didn't...Why the hell did your guild master let you go on a quest." spoke the indignant queen. "I swear, men are so insensitive."

"Hey, Dad's not at fault!" Asahi protested.

"Who's at fault then? Santa Claus?"

As they were arguing, Krishna turned to his recovering servant. "Kripa, you ate but a piece of bread, and I did saw you drink this tinted liquid. It was not enough, was it?"

"No..." Nanashi sheepishly admited.

"So why did you not ask for a second? You could have asked for another meal, I would have happily provided." Krishna scowled.

"Yeah, I know...But I didn't want to bother you."

"My dear Kripa, I am never bothered by any request of my surrendered soul, even those who are surrendered by chance only."Krishna patiently explained.

Nanashi remained silent, there had been another reason why he did not take the time to have a good meal.

"Asahi dragged you off again." God once again touched the heart of the problem with terrifying accuracy.

Nanashi wince. "Yeah...she's-"

"Not very nice for a sister. And not always aware of your needs, she is also quite reckless, selfish and prideful." Lord enumerated the daughters of the boss most glaring fault in a very matter of fact way, almost as is he was giving a diagnosis.

Usually, Nanashi would vehemently protect his sisters honor...but what can one do when God himself speaks.

"She's still pretty kind...and she wants to help and protect Tokyo. I mean, that's what Hunters do, you know."

Krishna turned his gilded glance toward the two women, it was clear Asahi was getting an earful from Nozomi, a more experienced huntress. "Yes, and out of love for you, can even sacrifice her own life."

Hopefully, it would not go this far.

"But right now, whatever she does is self-motivated...like most of the inmates in the material world."

Once again, Nanashi was about

to protest, but he knew Krishna was right. Everyone wanted something for themselves."

"What's wrong with thinking of one's own happiness? you can't please everyone."

"You are right." Krishna agreed. "Trying to please every living entity will only leave one exhausted and with more enemies than friends. but one should not be selfish and serve one's own senses."

 _"so we should do what? serve no one?"_ Nanashi half teased. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from

Krishna.

"My dear Kripa, it is the souls very nature to serve." He began. "Serve the body, parents, lover, country. And yet, as you may have realized, to serve the mundane master will only lead to broken promises and constant dissatisfaction. it is the same as watering every leaf of a tree; in the end, it will die of thirst, and the gardener will be exhausted for nothing."

"We have to serve you, right?" nanashi looked up to Krishna. this was something he had quickly realized. "Otherwise, everything else is just a waste of time."

Krishnareturned the smile, putting a hand on nanashi's shoulder, soothing the unfading ache. "Yes, to serve Me alone is as good as serving everyone, for I am the source of everything."

"Like watering the root of a tree..." Nanashi remembered hearing this quote from...

'Oh, Goddamnit

"Hey!" Krishna yelped indignantly. "Don't curse in My Name!"

"Sorry." Great, now he had to get a new way to express dismay.

He gazed at his sister, Asahi's shoulder's lowered and her eyes were red.

'And she's in a foul mood again.' And knowing his adopted sister...

The two lapsed into silence, just taking in the atmosphere and the joy of each other's company. The centennial sakura tree showering a cascade of glowing pink petal upon the lord and his dear servant. Nanashi still felt tired, but he could feel his energy level rising steadily. With Krishna so close to him... His aroma, and the cooling aura that emanated from his person.

"Can I..."

"Yes, Kripa?"

"Can I lean on you?"

Krishna gazed at his servant with eyes wide open. Then his features softened further, melting Nanashi's heart.

"Of course, my dear."

Well, God gave him permission to do so, and nanashi was not one to argue.

' _Yeah... So worth it.'_ Who knew giving up his freedom netted him a ridiculously friendly, sweet, beautiful and loving Master.

Sure, the relationship Nanashi wanted to have with Him was but a phantasm...

 _'Maybe I do have a chance, though...I mean, Krishna's doesn't precisely...he sorts of...he's calling me 'my dear'...'_

' _Yes, but He's also God...and I'm a demon.'_ his mind provided.

And to be honest, he could not even picture Krishna with another man. It was just...wrong, Revolting even. But he could see Him with a girl with an incandescent, Golden glowing skin, though.

 _"Radhe Jaya Jaya Madhava dayite," Yuki sang blissfully with an evident lack of musical knowledge. "Gokula Taruni mandala mahite-"_

 _His eyes were closed, and a blissful, brilliant smile decorated his usual dour demeanour._

 _It felt good to see him smile...maybe this cult was not so harmful after all._

 _'Aaand there's another flashback. Back again to save me from my loneliness._ ' Nanashi snarked, unaware of Krishna's teasing smirk and longing eyes.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light. And Nanashi jumped to his feet. Shovel at the ready.

"Woah there, Jumpy." The fairy queen lazily drawled out. "Relax, it's just a Camera flash." And indeed, she held an old camera in her hand.

"Taking a picture is a hobby of mine." she explained as she approached the boy and the Lord. "Usually, I'm more into old building with haunted house vibe. You know, the one even demons skip?"

"But...aren't you a queen or something." Nanashi inquired as he focused his attention on the older woman's boots.

 _'Oh Krishna. What's up with powerful women and skimpy outfit.'_

 _"My dear Kripa, I thought boys your age loved to see the exposed legs and things of an attractive woman. what to speak of their round, full breasts."_ Krishna teased his young servant whose lips curled at the thought and image.

"Ah, so you do not apreciate the womanly form, do you?" Krishna asked with a sidelong glance.

 _'No..."_ There, he admited it. He didn't like womans, he just wasn't attracted.

"me neither." The lord revealed. "A material form, my lower energies hold no sway over me. So I do understand how you feel on this matter...I was merly teasing you." the crooked smile on his lips was enough to defuse whatever anoyance Nanashi may have felt.

 _'Whatever Krish...'_ But what Nanashi did feel though was a pang of lost. His body, as amazing and ressiliant as it was, was still made out of matter _. 'Not that it would have worked anyway.'_

"A queen can have her hobbies, you know."Nozomi interrupted their sacred exchange. "And you looked just so Cute with your Boyfriend."

 _'Two choices, I deny it and dig myself deeper, or I stay quiet and dig Myself deeper."_ Instead, Nanashi looked away, Knowing that To validate it would be even worse...

He didn't want to entertain any type for false hope.

Nozomi Turned to God. Her hundred-watt smile not diminishing a bit.

"And how about you, sweetheart? What's your name? can't keep calling you Pretty-Boy all the time now, Can't I?"

Krishna smiled as he did this adorable head wiggle that caused his golden, shark-shaped earrings to dance. But otherwise remained silent.

"Not much of a talker, are you?"

He once again remained silent, letting his mind stealing smile speak for him.

"I see." She then turned to Nanashi. "So, does your boyfriend have a name?"

' _Great...'_ Well, he could still dream.

"His name is K-Hi Hari. And...He's ah...It's complicated."

"Anyway." Nozomi dismissed this conversation with a little smirk indicating she took a bit too much pleasure at seeing a very flustered Nanashi. "I know you just fainted."

"I didn't..."

"But Napaea's was right about me needing some help."

Right...this was mentioned in the challenge quest Asahi had chosen. Something about a fight needing to be stoped.

In all honesty, with how the fairy queen acted, it must not have been all this urgent.

' _It's just a bunch of fairies. What type of trouble can they do?'_

In hindsight, it had been a very stupid thing to ask.

" **Nanashi!"** Asahi Screamed as her brother clumsily dodge King Frost building size sceptre.

As for why he was clumsy and not a snakey bastard who managed to sucker punch Adramelech with a shovel and God's grace?

It was cold...so...so cold.

"Why can't I be a normal, well rounded human and not a freaking, frost-sensitive plant." He muttered as he tried to warm himself up using his black spade, Having taken shelter of one of the trees that bordered the spring.

It worked, but he could just feel King frost searching eyes on him. And if he didn't move, the morbidly obese snowman may cast another one of his Bufala...

"I hate Ice fairies."

As he began to recover some feeling in his extremities, he could hear Nozomi, Asahi, The angel and Napaea fight the so-called king. Taking his attention away from where Nanashi had hunkered down t recover.

As it turned out, the fight Napaea and Nozomi had been alluding to was not just a simple skirmish between a fussy fairy and the rest of the population needing clean water. But the Tyrant King frost capitalizing the 'only' uncontaminated spring in the entire area. Practically freezing the surrounding plant and aquatic life as he used the life-giving fluid to grow in size and power.

Needless to say, Napaea, the sweet fairy who also resided in the natural cave, had been less than pleased to have a capitalizing snowman destroy her home. The cute little fairy was now Gleefully casting agi the capitalistic snowman, wounding him severely.

"Hee-ow! Hey, that hurt!" King frost yelped as he rubbed his melted chest. "How dare you hitting _me, King Frost?"_ The indignant 'king's' smile did not remain a frown for long as he began smirking wickedly. "All right, It's time for your capital Punishment; King Bu-"

"Nanashi! Stop him!" Krishna, who was nowhere to be seen but heard everywhere warned. Nanashi leaped out of his hiding place and, selecting the Choral cabochon, shot a bolt of fire at the oversized snowman.

The shot dug deep in his shoulder, causing it to melt and filling the overflowing lake with more water and the scream of king frost.

Nanashi smirked wickedly. Sure, he may have done more negotiation then killing since his conversation with Krishna, but hitting the big, frigid bastard felt _so good._

And then this good feeling faded as King Frost turned his half-melted head toward the overconfident hunter.

" ** _KRIPA!_** ** _MOVE!"_** The Lord all but scream as the Tyrant raised his fist.

But Kripa did not move. Instead, he took aim a second time. 'why? His fist can't reach where I am.' His traitorous mind told him.

The King then hit the muddy bank and threw the resulting frozen sludge at the sitting duck with the shovel. Sending his way a frigid tsunami of mud, clay, stones, branched and quite a few chunks of ice faster then Nanashi could outrun.

" ** _...that's why."_**

Probably not for the first time, Nanashi felt extremely stupid.

' _Note to self; Never ignore God...ever.'_ Those were his last thought before being swept away by the muddy wave of pain and agony.

He did not hear his sister scream as he tried to dig his shovel onto something, anything to stop his disorienting trashing. But it seemed even the ground itself was gone, and no convenient branches or tree came his way.

His skin burned, everything hurt. _'Oh Krishna...Can I please not die again today?'_

Suddenly, he hit the side of the meadow he was in. It was painful, but at least he had something to hold on to. The mud, water, and whatever debris where there flowed by him, somehow or other only scratching Nanashi.

The whole thing had lasted but a moment, but for Nanashi, it was like an eternity.

Finally, the frigid wave was gone, and the boy in the lion shirt could open his eyes without having a shovel of sand thrown in. As he opened his eyes, his heart stopped, and it was not because King Frost was getting out of the spring with a chilling smile promising death and doom.

The reason no stones, branches and small iceberg maimed him was...Krishna Himself, The Lord of the countless universe, the supreme Lord in front of his expandable servent, holding a large branch that would have Killed Nanashi in if not for his timely intervention.

Krishna had shielded him, the supreme personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, God Himself had shielded him.

In insignificant servant...a soul that had turned his back to him...

A demon.

But before Nanashi could ask Him _why?_ The half-melted abomination lunged again.

"King Bufala!" He screamed with a distorted voice, the deadly wind ripping trough the meadow and towards Nanashi.

 _And Krishna...sweet, delicate Krishna was in the way._

Something awoke in Nanashi, a power beyond anything he had faced, a power that could destroy mountains, burn down cities and face the greatest of demons with only a hand bangle for a weapon.

Pure, Unbridled, Righteous anger fueled by the fear for one's beloved.

Nanashi all but flew off from the exposed roots that supported him and, either by instinct, or previous knowledge, aimed his shovel to the Tyrant.

Runes and lined formed a six-pointed stars surrounded by a circle made of light. And as Nanashi screamed, a laser burst forth, emitting a low buzzing sound. It hit the half-melted King Frost, engulfing him in the searing white light.

The tyrant stumbled back, his upper body gone, he once again fell in the now destroyed spring, damaging it even more.

A moment of silence ensued as the group tried to digest what had just happened. Nozomi, Asahi and the Angel stared at Nanashi, and not without a small amount of fear.

It was at that time Nanashi realized what he'd just done. And that he was still floating...somehow.

But somehow, this surprising development was not enough to extinguish the rage that burned inside.

He turned to Krishna, dirtied, tattered, bruised looking Krishna and burst out." _WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"_ Nanashi yelled as he stalked like a maddened Cerberus.

"Krpa," Krishna tried to calm his servant.

" **_Why did you do that for? HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!"_** Krishna really was severely bruised, his delicate, gossamer-like shirt was ripped, exposing his broad chest. His Garland was Gone, His necklace laid on the oversaturated forest floor. His hat was gone, and many leaves, sticks and sands where stuck in His beautiful, Messy hair. And his ever-present hat was nowhere to be seen.

His Dhoti was half-undone, exposing his Powerfull yet delicate legs, Legs only the best of dancer could posses. Legs that were battered and scratch.

Nanashi choked back a sob. Sure, his whole body was painful, but seeing Krishna in this state...

It was a pain worse than death.

"It would have killed you." Krishna pointed out." And I had to Act, Otherwise-"

"Big Deal! Your God, You just need to Revive me like the last time." He shouted in anger, ignoring his painful ribs and the craking sound he could hear.

"I _do not_ want to see you dead." The Lord's voice was still quiet, but there was enough strength behind this statement to be loud and Clear.

"Wh-" The pain in Nanashi's side peaked, but he was not done yet. "Why? I'm a soul in a material body, you can just give me another one, or you could revive me like this morning..."

Krishna Gave a fearsome scowl, and once again, Nanashi got reminded that it's was God he was shouting at.

"Krishna Kripa," The Lord of the universe began. "Who do you belong too?" He asked, his head held high, and His Supreme authority undeniable.

Nanashi never felt so small in is entire life.

"I'm yours," he admitted with jaw clench and head lowered...

It had never clicked until now, that he was the property of God...

God could do Whatever He pleased with him, And Nanashi had no say in it.

"Yes, You are _Mine_. For all eternity."

' _What have I gotten myself into?'_ He wondered as he now realized the repercussion of his choice. He had no idea _why_ Krishna, God Himself, Chose to revive him. He didn't really believe that Him Missing his sorry ass was all that there was.

Nanashi had read enough manga and heard horror stories from the hunter association to know that a powerful entity would not revive a complete nobody for no reason. And that they usually did not give an easy escape clause, and if they did...

well, it would come to bite you in the ass sooner or later.

 _' Well, no use crying over it. I'm Krishna puppet, my opinion's not even a blip on the radar.'_

Not that his opinion ever matters anyway.

"Your body, your mind, your intelligence and _your very self_ are all mine. And you...Do you really think I would not mind if your body where to be destroyed?" Krishna's voice hitch as diamond like tears decorated the corners of his lovely eyes. "No, I will not let you go through another birth, not if I can help it." And then the lord did something...something that somewhat changed Nanashi's view of God.

Krishna engulfed in his all-encompassing embrace, all but crushing Nanashi to His broad, fragrant chest."Don't...Don't you _ever_ do something like that _ever again."_ Krishna whispered hoarsly, shaking from...from...

"Krishna...are you, scared?"Nanashi asked, the whole concept alien to the servant of God.

The Lord remained quiet as he firmly held Nanashi to his heart. His tears soaking Nanashi, It was the that the teen realized that yes, the Lord had been scared for his sake.

 _'Why? Your God, you can control everything! You know everything?'_ He wondered from within his heart.

But before the Lord of the universe could form a sentence, a gunshot resonated in the desolated spring, and the two broke their embrace. Once again, ready to fight whatever threat came their way.

Once out of Krishna's arms, Nanashi wanted to be back in. And yet his male ego prevented him from dwelling on his heart desire too long. For something was happening at the edge of the ruined spring.

"Hmm, it seems queen Nozomi may have found the 'source' of her misery," Krishna commented as he gazed at the scene, taking Nanashi's hand in His firm grip. Unwilling to let his servant go.

"Krishna...you ca let me go you know," Nanashi spoke in a quiet tone, the Lord was still shaken from the whole event.

In his heart, Nanashi knew why Krishna acted such a way...but, _'_ _W_ _hy would God care about me so much_?' It made zero sense at all.

when they arrived at the scene, Nozomi had her shotgun smoking mouth pointed at a Preta, a very terrified Preta.

"Woah, Woah, hey! Please don't shoot! " The preta begged. "I Know-nothing, I was just following the order to find the treasure in this here forest."

The group looked at one another, and Nanashi to Krishna. _'Here's that word again, King frost was looking for a treasure also...Krishna, do you know anything about a treasure hidden here?'_

Krishna bit his lips and averted his golden eyes.

' _You do, don't you?'_

The Lord sighed. "Yes...and no."

"Uh?" _'Krishna, please don't play that card.'_

"Let me explain." The Lord sighed. "As you know, I am omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. And I am also time and the knower of times and events."

' _Obliviously.'_

"Thus, I already know the outcome, given the outcome and also deal with the outcome."

"And?" Nanashi prodded.

"And, while I know what will happen, I rather remain ignorant and enjoy the ride."

 _'But why?'_

Krishna faced his servant fully. "Because being omniscient is dull and boring, You always know what will happen, and thus no surprise remains." He explains. "But since I also control ignorance and forgetfulness, I can make myself forget and thus experience the full emotion of surprise."

"But...what if."

Krishna looked at Nanashi, and for the first time, the resurrected boy knew how an annoyed supreme personality of Godhead looked like.

"Kripa, For me, there is no 'what if' scenario. Faith is arranged in such a way that _nothing_ short of _myself_ can Change it."

"Still Not reassured Krish."

"Kripa, I am the supreme controller, there is nothing to worry about when back in my service." The Lord assured. And Nanashi, seeing his guess face, couldn't help but trust him.

He knew...He had faith in Krishna. Nanashi had no idea where it came from, but his guts told him that everything would be okay in the end.

But one question remained.; Why was Krishna still possessively holding his right hand in his left?

Was it...Could Nanashi even dare Imagined it? That Krishna...That the Supreme Personality of Godhead...

Really cared about him? Loved him even?

The boy of untold parentage felt his heart melt a little...He never felt anything like this before. Not with the Boss, definitely not with Asahi...

He turned his attention to the confrontation, unwilling to dwell on his feeling for too long.

"I was asked to find the treasure hidden here, wasn't told what it was, but I was sure it would be known by them fairies. The plan was to fool some fairies into finding it for me. But now that's a bust..." He scratched the back of his head.

"Who sent you?" The queen demanded, her voice holding the force of authority as she maintained her gun to the imp, her finger on the trigger.

 _'Dang, she's so hardcore.'_

"indeed."

The Preta Yelp. "H-hey there lady, I don't know. I'm just a grunt, and nobody says anything to a grunt."

Nozomi narrowed her eyes behind her glass, and Nanashi just knew she was reading the lying yoma's body language.

"Well, it can't be helped then. You have caused the destruction of the most important part of my kingdom. The only way you can pay is with your life." She tapped her finger to the trigger. And yet the imp did not seem all that concern about his welfare.

' _He's either really stupid, or he has balls of steels.'_

"He has both." Krishna drily replied.

"he's doomed."

The fairy queen coked her head, and lower her aim to between the Preta's leg. Understanding was she was about to do, the purple spirit began to properly panic.

"AHH! ILL SPEAK ILL SPEAK OH HELL PLEASE DON'T SHOOT ME HERE !" He all but sobbed. "IT WAS A CREEPY GOD FROM POLYTHEISTIC ALLIANCE, HE'S THE ONE WHO TOLD ME TO GET THE TREASURE HERE. I SWEAR, THAT'S ALL I KNOW!"The Imp screamed in fear, tailing out of there as fast as his bowed leg would let him.

But before he could disappear in the forest, Napaea all but body slammed the preta to the ground, lift him up by the scruff of the neck and brought him back to Queen Nozomi.

The Queen in red grabbed the preta's face in her iron grip. "Alright, Grape-face. I have a message for this alliance." She hissed, and Nanashi could not help but move a bit closer to His Krishna. "Mess with my forest again, you creep, and I will make them see why one should not piss off Nozomi, The Queen of fairies." She squeezed the preta's face. "Is that clear, 'pretty Orchid'?"

The purple spirit only answer was a whimper and a very good attempt at a very panicked set of nods.

"Good! Now get your purperus ass out of here before I change my mind and make it red." Nozomi hissed and, with a gesture of her head, signalled Napaea to let go.

The moment he hit the ground, The preta ran for his life.

Silence once again descended upon the desolated spring. And nanashi had the distinct feeling things were about to get more complicated.

Asahi and her brother were back at the ancient sakura tree. Nothing much they could have done after the whole debacle.

 _'Ugh...this sucks. We were supposed to free the spring, not destroy it.'_ To be honest, It fitted King Frost's entire mentality. He looked like a 'if-I-can't-have-you' sort of demon.

But This was not what had soured Asahi's mood. It was Nanashi's Persona.

He was...Disturbingly close to her brother, and Nanashi Didn't seem to mind at all. Especially when he began _cleaning_ off all the mud and twigs off from Hari's body. Fixing his long, luscious hair with care and attention rarely showed to others.

Sure, Her dad had warned her to keep an eye out for Hari, telling her that he was extremely dangerous. But now, He seemed more interesting with silently joking with foot therapist Nanashi.

He looked so happy as if he had achieved Shangri-la.

 _'Why can't he be happy with me?'_ Asahi crossed her arms below her breast. Then she stopped that thought...no, she knew her brother never would be attracted to her. Especially now that Hari, the most beautiful creature that existed, followed him like a puppy.

Nanashi was happy...Her brother was smiling more than any time previous.

As they came back from ground zero, Nanashi and his persona had walked hands-in-hands under the shower of pink petals. Sometimes stopping to watch the scenery, some time to pick flowers.

Nanashi was usually the one doing the picking, he would also decorate Hari with whatever good blossoms he found.

A small, sad smile played on Asahi's lips.

 _'Oh Nanashi...Be happy while it last, Dad won't let you have this..."_

Suddenly, the hair at the back of her neck stood on end.

She whirled around just in time to see a figure shrouded in shadows retreating in the foggy debt of the pink thicket. Before it disappeared completely, the creature gave a 'come hither' gesture.

 _'Is that?...what it...It wants me to follow him, Isn't he?"_ As if attracted by a spell, Asahi left the main area and tailed the shadow, eager for a new thrill.

He knew she was safe, Nanashi had scary good ears, and she had her angel with her. And the ex-winged pest was pretty strong too.

As long as she did not get distracted by Nanashi's persona...

Entering deeper in the pink forest, she came within a clearing in which everything was wilted, and an oppressive atmosphere reigned. Everything was quiet, and a deep melancholy seemed to pervade the very air. In the middle, standing like the manifestation of everything edgy

was tall Skeleton. He wore a fluttering cape, a leather armour equipped with silver claws and a bloody red mane.

"So." He rumbled, his voice deep and foreboding. "Ye followed."

"You...who are you? What do you want of me?" Asahi felt a bit stupid now, it was not just a fairy that stood in front of her, but what could only be a God of the underworld.

He ran his neon-green eyes on the young girls like one gaze at the latest weapon. "My Name's Dagda, God of knowledge and ability. And you are Asahi, isn't it?"

 _'Creep factor; high enough.'_ She nodded wearily. Her legs paralyzed by fear.

Dagda crept forward, his capes fluttering in the nonexistent wind. Usually, Asahi would find it hilarious, but now, it was terrifying.

"And...I've been keeping an eye on you for a long time, little missy."

' _Creep level; Stalker.'_ And she had a feeling running was not an option.

"And I have to say, you impress me."

Asahi remained silent.

"Silent one, aren't yah...Or scared of me, perhaps?"

Asahi would never admit it, especially to a demon...but she hated skulls and skeletons, more so those who moved.

"Ah... worry not missy, Just...Just some angels messing me look. A Don't usually look like that." Dagda gestured to his armoured covered body.

"So...why are you stalking me." Asahi just wanted the entire encounter over so she may run back to her brother with a very good lesson learned.

Dagda gazed at her, his emerald green eyes cold and calculating. "Stalking...aye, I suppose I was. But what can I do, ye caught my eyes."

A feeling of sheer doom doused the daughter of the boss. Asahi knew, she was pretty, and she knew she was on the cusp of being legal. _'Well, at least he waited that long.'_ she internally snarked as she reached for her phone.

"Listen, Missy, I'm not this type of God. I ain't got desires for someone who could be my granddaughter."

"The Wh-"

"Your brother, the one who killed Adramelech and pierced a hole in the firmament. that's I got me eyes on. "

"wait...Nanashi did what?" She still remembers the sound of Nanashi's shovel as it gutted the demoniac general, But piercing the firmament!

She still remembers this one infamous pop quiz Nikkari had once given. She had learned from him that the firmament was bedrock, not granite, and was twenty kilometres thick.

As an answer, Dagda pointed at a small light spot in the 'celestial vault.'

"Holy shit..." At that moment, Asahi realized just how _powerful_ her brother was.

"Yes, the kids ain't a human. Humans just aren't made to generate this much aether...nor can they survive with so much circulating in their body, would burn them alive."And if you weren't here..." Dagda, who was now standing right beside the young girl. Turned to her, his exposed mandible somehow twisting into a parody of a smile... "Well, he wouldn't have anyone to control him."

She felt trap...and she knew her brother would not be able to reach her in time.

"But...I ain't here to scare you into using your brother to destroy everything. While's he's pretty powerful, there's much bigger fish out there who wouldn't think twice about turning his sorry ass into a greasy smear on the floor."

That was not really all that reassuring at all.

"No, you see...It's embarrassing to ask, but..."

"But...C'mon, spit it out!" she snapped, more than a bit tired about this creep.

Dagda stared at Asahi, who did not avert her eyes. And smiled...

"A proud one, aren't ya?"

She crossed her arms under her breast, conveniently hiding her smartphone.

"Alright...here's the situation. There's a war brewing between the forces of law and Chaos, And we of the neutral side want nothing to do with either of them. We just want to try to recover what little of the society we had before those two clowns began messin' up the balance of things." Dagda explains. "But we ain't even strong enough to be a bit of annoyance. Day by day, the angels force our people to either convert or perish, and Lucifer ain't any better."

"Flynn will defeat them."

"I know lass, I know. But Flynn...her returned my mother to her rightful place and gave us a second queen. We...I ow so much to him..." Dadga trailed off.

"...Oh, so, you want Nanashi to assist Flynn?" Asahi concluded, relieved and surprised that such a fearsome God had so much respect for the liberator. "Why didn't you say so in the first place."

At that moment, Asahi would swear the skeletal god blushed.

He cleared his throat. "Well...I'm not used to beg. Before the angels stripped me of most of my power, I gladly would have taken on the army of hell and heaven in a heartbeat...But now, can't even blow a leaf of a dyin' tree."

"Oh man, that's rough."

"So, here's the deal. I know this one God powerful enough to take on the two pox. The problem is, the poor block got sealed under the Yashiro well by both demons and angels."

Asahi's eyes grew wider ad the mention of the two factions. "Wait, _both of them?"_

The god nodded. "Aye, The sealed God is feared by both parties...and he wished to help Flynn conquer the two and free humanity. As long as we can get 'im out of the well..."

"So...why can't you?" Asahi innocently asked.

Dagda gave her an exasperated stare. "As I said, I ain't what I use to be in therm of power. And the seal will only open for a Human. But-"

"Let me guess, the whole place is filled with demons." She interrupted.

"And angels. Heard there even was poison here 'n there."

"So here's the deal. You and your powerful brother get down to his seal, yer brother kills whatever lookin' at you the wrong way, and you just have to touch the seal, freeing him."

This...sounded like a good idea. Not a perfect design, but Dagda's plan certainly seemed logical. And doable.

But, there was one thing that bugged her.

"Why not have Nanashi help-"

"Two fer the price of one. Flynn's gonna need all the help he can get before facing the shithawk and bollox head."

Right, those two where the head of their respective faction.

"An' As I said. A Human need to break the seal."

"After surviving both angels and demons." she resumed.

The Celtic god gave something that looked like a predatory smile...but then, without any lips, he may as well gave a cute cat smile, and no one would have been the wisest.

"Yes, which won't be such a hard task with that brother of yours. And just imagine the fame you will receive; everyone will know you."

Asahi smiled, Finally, things were looking up!

' _Nanashi won't need to wait much longer.'_ She could already see her adopted brother basking in the sunlight, away from civilization. He could be himself...

He and his boyfriend would live a perfect bucolic life...all thanks to her.

"Alright! Its a deal!" She readily agreed, shaking Dagda's silver claws.

She did not hear the sound of the closing trap.


	6. Chapter 6, the one hidden under the well

The one sleeping in the well.

well, a pendemic. I remember when the bird flue and the swine flue was a thing. it was just preparing us for the crow flue.

How do I see it as a Hare Krishna? Simply our accrued Karma. Basically we acted in such a way that we got this particular reaction, you stay out when it rains, you get wet, as simple as that. but for those who lives in the temple, it just gives us a better opportunity to chant, read and serve. Of course, while we have complete faith in Lord's Sri-Krishna's Protection, it usually manifest in our intelligence. So social distancing is still going on and our temple doors are unfortunatly closed.

anyway, in these trying time, the best thing I can give you is this:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Now keep chanting it, I have made a youtube playlist of different Video game music you can chant the mantra on, it's mostly touhou project song with a smattering of other games ranging from Mega man, Mega man Zero, SMT (of course) and plenty more. It's called Seat of the Holy name.

I know, I'm preachy, but I just want all you guys to be Happy. and trust me, it will make you happy and help with the stress.

Onward to the story then. Love you all, Hare Krishna!

* * *

"Asahi...Are you sure you want to do that?" Nanashi asked, ill-at-ease as he peered at the useless well of the Ueno area.

"For that last time, yes!" Asahi rolled her eyes from inside the weel, she had her hands to her ips and a look that just promissed trouble if her adopted brother would not do as she commanded. "Now stopped acting like a dead slime and get down there."

Nanashi held his tongues, there was just something about this well...it gave him a bad case of the creeps.

' _Krishna, Whatever's hidden there...I don't want to meet him.'_ Nanashi addressed the Lord, taking shelter in his presence.

The energy pouring out of the well was dark, cold and foreboding. But most alarmingly, it was something very familiar.

He had felt it in his dream, it was the same feeling he got when the crawling mass of darkness had engulfed that blue-haired boy, Yuki, in its terrible maws.

Nanashi shook his head, dispelling the terrible memories of his most frequent nightmare.

"My dear Kripa, as much as you would love to flee from this path, I do not believe you have a choice."Krishna ruefully informed his servant, Keeping a cooling hand on his shoulder. "You have many secrets your sister can use against you. Believe me, until you come to therm with them, you should follow along."

Nanashi sighed internally, feeling the Damocles sword of his darkest secrets looming above his head. A veritable leash his sister held.

He still loved her...He just wished she could stop acting like he was a weapon.

"But, Is it really love you feel for her? Or is it a duty to your adopted mother?" The Lord prodded.

' _Krishna...that's kind of coming out of nowhere."_ Nanashi informed his master.

"It was just something I was wondering about. So, is it really out of love that you get dragged to dangerous adventure by a spoiled child, or is it out of duty to your deceased mother that you tolerate her?"

Nanashi remained silent... He couldn't answer that.

* * *

"This is worst then I thought." Mukhara whispered, and she surveyed the realm bellow her.

She now could get a better scope of the task at hand...and she now had to admit.

"You where right Radha, It will take us more than three days to find the body."

"If we can even find anything left..." The Kasha grumbled, knowing full well how bodies decomposed. "Also, I told you so!"

Mukhara remained silent, still gazing at the expansive domain; It rivaled Yamuna's own realm of Gensokyo.

The millennial hermit let out a sigh as she ran a hand in her hair. _'If this is what I see on the surface, what will the inner codes hide?'_

Well, no times like the present.

Focusing inwardly, the sennin called forth her godly powers...and then stifled a gasp.

"So? What are you seeing?" Radha asked.

"There's...one, two... _seven_ different layers..." Mukhara counted with eyes wide open behind her specks.

"Seven?! I thought three was the max!"

"Me too." Mukhara whispered as she decoded sequence, scenarios and many other processes required to keep such a vast realm running smoothly.

 _She was so close to obtaining answers, she just needed to know where this illusory Tokyo was stored._

"...Did you find him? Anything about Kripa?" Radha asked after some time.

"No...half the information is blocked off or codded..."

"And no clues as to where this illusory Tokyo could be?" Radha flattened her ears on her head.

"I do, it's right under this layer." Mukhara pointed the ground with her mechanical finger. And Radha followed it with keen eyes. "Problem is, the time between here and the layer under us is disjointed." Radha groaned as she threw her head back in sheer exasperation, Jet lag was a bitch in heat to deal with.

"And that's not all; the only way is heavily guarded. So we can forget about trying to sneak in."

"And how 'bout using some of your Taoist art, you know, like slipping through a crack?"

Mukhara shook her head. "This would warn the master or mistress of the place that they have an unwanted visitor."

"and what if we went Gun's-ablazing?" The Cat suggested as she summoned one of her many evil spirits...

Mukhara paused, considering this option.

It would do wonder to her stress level, especially with how frustrated she was with the whole ordeal. But at the same time, she didn't have the time to gather her usual shock team.

And yet, she knew Radha's power level, they could probably be able to conquer the damn place...

 _'but I'm not here to conquer...I'm here to recover my son's body.'_ And she could not blow up the place on her way out. _"No...I will deal with this sennin later."_

as Cathartic as it would be, she knew her priorities.

Radha pouted. "Oh, poo...So how are we supposed to get in then? Call Yamuna and bully her into opening a gap for us?" She crossed her arms, still on edge by the power that controlled the realm.

Mukhara was about to retort when what was unmistakably a low power Master spark blew a hole through the ground, grazing her feet.

Thankfully, after going through a full twenty miles of bedrock, the beam was nowhere near as lethal. It merely sends some light shock in Mukhara's silver 'nerves."

Once the beam stopped, both Vaishnavi looked down at the newly bored hole.

"Wow...Thank Krishna." Radha prayed to the lord.

Mukhara...tried to process what this could mean.

This was unmistakably a master spark. Only two people's in existence had this ability; Yuthika, the flower master and her estranged donor. And Marisa Devi Dasi, who was now living in Durban with her husband and two beautiful children.

But there was a third person who also had this potential.

 _'No...It can't be. My Krishna is dead. Eiki would never make such a mistake.'_

And yet...

Hermitages where know to make a Yamaduta's job harder, and it would confuse their filing system. It was another reason's why those were usually filled with Ghosts.

Mukhara closed her eyes and prayed. _'Oh Krishna, Oh Master of unlimited universes. You have a plan, and I am but an instrument. Please protect me from illusion and guide me; use me for your purpose.'_

Radha-shyamasundara touched her shoulder. "He sis', we have to move, some bad-birds are giving Hitchcock a run for his money." Indeed, many winged figures swarmed the sky, being summoned by the anomaly.

The two sky-bound Vaishnavi slid trough the like a pair of shadows. The way was open, they just needed to sneak in.

* * *

Back in Tokyo, in the Yashiro well. Thing were going well; the demons here were not used to fighting someone with an elemental shovel. Nanashi was immune to the Apsara's and mermaid's allurement, and most of what was chaos aligned were more than happy to let him go.

Since who could be stronger then someone who Killed Lucifer's finest with nothing but a shovel and Gods Grace?

His sister was not concern about all the water, and Nanashi's sight was unimpeded. Better yet, since Krishna's shirt had been destroyed...

Numerous poets would be at lost of words in front of the beauty that a thoroughly soaked Krishna generated. The Lord had forgone most of his jewelry, leaving an unobstructed vision of his magnificent form. Nanashi could even perceive his dark-blue thighs trough the drenched yellow silk fabric that clung to his perfect legs.

And yet...Nanashi could not shake away the dread he felt. The further in they went, the heavier the sense of hopelessness became. It was almost like a physical entity lurking under their feet, a sleeping calamity biding its time until it could strike.

And he seemed to be the only one aware of the sleeping beast. His sister was

utterly unaware of what lurked under their feet...

What the hell was she tasked to rouse?

"Kripa...You look pale." Krishna commented from the stone he had been sitting on, playing his flute while Nanashi and his sister took a well-deserved pause.

 _'No shit, Krishna. I have no idea what's in this stupid seal. But I know it's bad news."_ Nanashi addressed his Lord in his heart, discreetly moving closer to Him.

He just felt safer like this, under the Lord's lotus feet. Krishna's natural effulgence was soothing, nurturing and Oh so loving. As Nanashi performed his new favorite activite -Massaging Krishna soft, delicate, fragrent, cooling and oh so sweet, fragile feet-, he tried to change the Lords mind about the entire matter, hoping his service would put him in a better mood.

 _'Krishna, I think we should turn back..._ _Let Asahi spread my darkest secrets to all; it just not worth it.'_

"No, better we awaken the sleeping beast." Krishna placed a hand on Nanashi's shoulder.

' _But why? If we leave this calamity alone-'_

"Then others will come down to rouse it, and they will not have the ability to deal with the one sleeping there."

Nanashi groaned...

"Kripa, It is simply not fair for this soul to be locked away in the dark." The lord explained. "To keep a problem locked away is just begging for it to return later. And to expect someone stronger to deal with a problem is irresponsible, and one of the greatest shows of cruelty that I know of." Krishna explained solemnly, his eyes misty.

Nanashi took a moment to gaze at the raw emotions dancing on Krishna's beautiful face. Once again, amazed at how sensitive the lord was.

"You want him to be freed."

" I do," Krishna confirmed. "I cannot stand to see my Jiva's suffering..."

"But you still keep us here." Nanashi mildly accused.

Krishna turned his misty eyes to his servant. "...It does not mean that I like keeping you all this miserable world of mater..." The Lord lowered his face. "I will not impede on the desires and will of my parts and parcels," he explained. "You all came to this material world for enjoying without me, and thus, I let you be."

Nanashi openly stared at Krishna, from the pain in his voice, Nanashi wondered how God managed to remain sane with the amount of grief he felt.

It broke his newly regrown heart.

"And what if we want to enjoy with you?" Nanashi asked. If having fun without Krishna made Him sad, the opposite would be true also.

Krishna's smiled as he looked at his servant with eyes heavy with love. "Then you come back to me in a form suitable for the type of loving relationship you desire to share with _Me. "_

' _So...I'm it then. I this what you want Krishna?'_ Nanashi asked his master, Changing the subject.

"I do. The soul imprisoned there now deserve's his freedom."

"And if it proved to be another pain in the ass-" He gently pressed krishna's lotus like feet meanignfully.

"Hopefully, it will not get to that," Krishna spoke as he gracefully arose from he now melted rock. removing his ever sought after limb from nanashi's now reddish hands. "Thank you for the massage, my dear. yous hands are as pleasing as moonilght.

Nanashi's heart began to flutter...No regrets.

And yes, he had asked Asahi's angel if she knew anything about who was under there. The angel,(let's call he Mai.) had regretfully informed Nanashi that she was not privy about such matter. Only that the god held captive within the Yashiro well was from beyond the mountain range in the west...and that his freedom would doom everything.

Great.

They had Gathered the two emblems after some very disappointing fight with a pair of angels. The final stone had received into the floor, granting them access to the inner sanctum of the wall, where the feeling of doom, hatred and hopelessness now took almost a physical form.

Asahi stared at the now open cave, rubbing her drenched arms as if from the cold.

"...you feel it now, don't you?" Nanashi whispered from the shelter of Krishna's presence.

"...It's...a strong demon..." The young girl gave an uneasy grin. "Thank goodness he's on Flynn's side."

"Asah-"

"C'mon Nanashi! Let's go!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him further in the final cave.

Nanashi could only crank his neck toward Krishna, who's face had turned sombre.

This...worried Nanashi to no end.

* * *

"Nanashi? Nanashi, Wake up!" It was Asahi...

He got up from the wet, rocky ground of the cave.

"Asahi...Kr...Hari. What the hell happened?" He asked his sister and his master. Krishna was looming behind Asahi, his gaze more than a little worried.

He put a hand to his head, checking if Krishna's lotus was still tucked behind his ear.

Indeed, the mystical flower hasn't budged an inch.

Asahi, who was kneeling on the ground, sighed with a very annoyed look to her. "You fainted when we jumped."

"We jumped?" He couldn't remember jumping...

Asahi pointed up to the unseen ceiling. "Yeah, we came at the end of the path. You thought it was a dead-end, but I knew better!" She puffed her chest up.

Fear doused Nanashi's back. He could still feel Asahi's death grip on his wrist...his legs locking up. The _absolutely brick-shitting moment when he plummeted-"_

"Kripa...Kripa! It's alright, I'm here." He heard Krishna, his sweet, soothing tenor dispelling the fear he felt. Nanashi could feel His mighty arms around his aching shoulders, and his broad chest as the best of shelter.

He...hated height. And he hated the absolute darkness that pervaded this God...Gosh, Darned place. Not even his inhuman sight could pierce it. Only Krishna' dazzling effulgence dispelled the darkness.

He got off from the ground on shaky legs with Krishna's help. _'If we survive this, I swear I will worship you forever.'_

"Isn't it what you are doing right now?" Krishna deadpanned with an amused smile.

"Finally! C'mon, let's Go!" She grabbed his arm, rushing headfirst towards imminent danger. As the trio emerged from the final waterfall, Nanashi was on high alert, his right hand gripping his shovel and his heart racing.

The room they were in was by definition cavernous, the height of the ceiling, the water rushing down its wall and pooling on the floor created a vertigo effect. In the middle loomed a massive stone Orb around trice the size of Nanashi.

From under what could only be the ark, congealed shadow seeped out like an infectious disease.

Nanashi really hoped Asahi was right, and that whoever was in there really was on Flynn's side...He took a deep breath; it was no use worrying. God was at his side, He also knew whatever was there probably would not be able to survive an attack of pure light and who knows? Maybe it was an ally of Flynn after all.

God...Krishna knew the samurai of hope would need all the help he could get.

"Indeed." Krishna intoned, not entirely paying attention to his servant. He was gazing at the orb, his eyes cast in what seemed to be grief.

"Krishna? Is everything alright?" Nanashi asked his Lord. He hated when Krishna looked less than his usual happy self. "What's under there?"

But before Krishna could give an answer, the sound of a small boat plying the rippling water came to Nanashi's ears. He stopped in his tracks, His shovel at the ready.

"Nana-"

"We have company," Nanashi informed his sister, moving in front of the Lord.

Behind him, He heard Krishna's bubbling, love-filled chuckles.

Suddenly, A small figure emerged from behind the moss-covered orb; A dwarf on a boat wearing goose skin.

"Halt!" He threw a hand out. Standing between the trio and their goal.

"I am Sukuna-Hikona, no Kami, Guardian of the sealed ark."

"I'm Aegis," Nanashi responded in kind. "This is my sister Asahi, and the one standing behind me is K-Hari."

Sukuna-Hikona, who had not expected to be greeted to cordially, took some time to recover.

"I only see a Yokai and a jinka." The dwarf flatly informed the teen.

"Oh..." So he couldn't see Krishna.

The dwarf gazed at the two youth.

"So ah...who's in there?" Nanashi asked to dispel the very awkward and tense silence.

The kami, once again let his stone-like gaze linger on the teens. And then inclined his head.

"This shrine is where we, the ancient gods of these lands, have sealed away the most dangerous foreign deity."

" Foreign Deity...Can we know his name?" Nanashi prodded.

"No, For it would make the Amoral-One grow in strength," Sukuna-Hikona informed. "Now you tell me, Why have you come to this accursed place?"

"We've come to open the ark!" Asahi gleefully informed as the struck a pose she must have seen in an anime.

' _And this is where the shit hit's the fan.'_ Nanashi dryly spoke in his heart. Keeping a stoic face and choosing the Sapphire, a stone of wind.

Sukuna-Hikona was small, wore a large feather cape and was on a boat gliding on still water. It did not take a genius to figure out how it would go.

"I thought as much." Sukuna-Hikona raised his oar from the shallow water. "You are about to make a grave mistake!" He warned.

"What do you mean?" Asahi asked. Maybe now realizing that trusting the so-called son of lady Danu was a mistake.

"No doubt Odin's machination has steered you to these consecrated grounds." Sukuna seethed. "Others among the Kunitsukami may lap up the Allfatheres lie, But _I_ Know better."

Nanashi gazed sideways to Krishna.

"No, he is not referring to me. It is Odin who is known as the 'Allfather.'" The Supreme Lord did the most graceful air quote in existence. " But what is more interesting is that this dwarf believes we have been sent by a Norse inspired god, not by Dagda."

"hmm..." Nanashi agreed; it was weird. ' _Maybe they work together.'_

"To unseal the ark is to betray the world." Sukuna-Hikona interrupted Nanashi's musing, his eyes flashing with a mystical glow under his cowl. "I will put you Ignorant fool in the grave before I let you usher in Ruin." He roared as he prepared to unleash frozen-hell of the frost-sensitive youth.

Nanashi simply blasted the dwarf away with the hurricane-force wind. As expected, the diminutive god was projected to the other side of the cavernous hall, hitting the far wall with a sickening crack.

"And that takes care of that." The vaishnava punk dispassionately spoke, re-hooking his shovel with a flourish and dusting his hands nonchalantly. "Alright Asahi, the course is clear. You can do your thing now." Better he did not overthink about what they were about to release.

Asahi gave a mock salute and sauntered off to the seal, as she put her hand on its rocky surface, a powerful light glowed from within. The whole floor became covered with eldritch lines, and something terrible began stirring.

"Kripa...before he emerges from the seal, there is something I would like to...mention."

"Go for it, Krish. Not like I can abandon you anyway." It was part of the deal...as long as his sister survived.

' _I'm the world's greatest idiot...'_ He belatedly realized that Krishna was in no mean obligated to protect Asahi. Nanashi was already His...

"No, I know bigger fools." Krishna gave Nanashi one of his amused smiles. "I just wanted to point out how everything in the opening of the seal was...rather convenient."

He was right, while the boy with the lion shirt knew he was not the smartest, he also knew when things where...set up to conveniently.

 _'The two crest kept in the same location...the fake jump and the ark is_ _open-able._ _'_ In hindsight, Nanashi could have probably made a much better prison just by chucking one crest in the middle of a poisonous swamp.

Or better yet, destroying one crest and hiding the other in an unreachable place.

"You have understood?"

"They wanted the thing out." It was the only reason he could see why it was so easy... "This..."

Somebody was pulling strings...they were but puppets.

In the orb, what could only be called the compressed, liquefied form of deep depression, lust, madness and nihilism stirred. It's vile tentacle reaching out to drag whatever it could wrap itself in the deepest pit of self-loathing.

 _And Asahi was right in front of it._

" _Asahi!_ _ **MOVE!"**_ But the daughter of the Boss just stood three, frozen in fear as she realized the calamity she had freed.

"Oh, Krishna...PLEASE DO SOMETHING!" He prayed in desperation.

Suddenly, the angel burst forth from Asahi's smartphone and, wrapping her arms around the frozen girl, flew away from the oozing darkness. She landed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the shelter of all surrendered souls.

In the middle of the room, the stone orb lost it's integrity and crumbled like dust, revealing and oozing, squirming, billowing cloud of...

 _Of the condensed desire for humanity for death...hopelessness for anything better. The realization that this life means nothing, for it will all end with final death._

 _ **Nothing matters; life is but waiting to disappear,**_ _ **t**_ _ **o fade to black...to end this big lie of existence. The ultimate goal of life is death-**_

Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, supreme reality reasserted Himself as he wrapped His soft yet mighty arms around Nanashi. Grounding the teen back into reality.

"Kripa! Kripa, whatever you do, do not listen to this impersonalist." Krishna's sweet yet deep voice resonated in Nanashi's heart, all around him and right behind him. The lord's Cooling and fragrant hands were covering his ears, blocking out the filthy desires of the Abomination.

The...shadow coalesced and seemed to be absorbed by something human in shape. The more it disappeared inside its vessel, the more details Nanashi could make out.

A pair of long booth, dark-skinned hands holding a flute, a faded blue tailcoat that was more teal then anything, a Fedora, a peacock feather...short, messy blue hair...

And his face...

Nanashi's vision Blurred...

Aegis gazed at the face of the one who haunted his dreams every night. Who had now started to invade his waking hours.

Nanashi gazed at someone who should not be there...

Suddenly, two somewhat powerful presence made themself know; one was the world edgiest skeleton, Dagda. And the other was a blue and gold being carrying a wicked spear and a four-eyed raven.

The...Abomination adressed them, his voice bellying a cold, ruthless desire. "Odin, Dagda...it is you have I to thank for my freedom." He languidly stretched himself, his back popping in a few places.

A terrible shiver went up and down Nanashi's spine as he tried to bury deeper in Krishna's reassuring embrace. This...this abomination...it wore a peacock feather and held a flute, Just like _his_ Lord. He looked like his deceased master...lover...object of her protection...but his voice.

He sounded human...But there was something in there that wasn't right.

Dadga gave a smug sneer at the Norse god. "See, I told you it would work."

Odin Simply gave an all-Suffering look to the being. Nanashi had a hunch this Dagda kept boasting on the way to the ark.

"It's been too long, Krishna." Odin inclined his head, addressing the abomination cordially.

Nanashi felt his heart stop, the Angel turned a startled gaze at the lord and Krishna...Nanashi's Krishna.

He did not speak a single word, The lord's gaze was devoid of hatred...only sadness played in them as His fathomless glance never once left the Fraud.

"The threads of destiny have come undone." The fake gestured grandly, his movement...wrong. "I decree, to all the living entity rotting in this illusion called 'reality' that salvation is at hands!" his bold declaration resonated through the vast expanse of the cavern.

"W...what's gong on? Nanashi...You...this is..."

"It's not Hari." Nanashi sputtered. As he gave a hard look at the fake, he could point out around fifty things that showed this 'Krishna' to be a freaking fraud.

The face of the fraud was...thin, not emaciated, but lacked the beauty and sweetness of his Krishna. Nanashi was sure no symbols decorated his dry, mundane looking hands. The golden flute he held looked dull and dead compared to his Krishna's lively and glowing instrument.

The frauds lips where thin a dry, his Krishna's mind stealing lips were full, moist and sweet. And The Lord's golden eyes held the entire universe in them...while the Fraud's eyes held not even the spark of life, their ice blue dept held the same fog a dead eye would have.

Only Madness and hatred seemed to make him move.

And yet, Nanashi could not banish the reality that this Fake Krishna looked disturbingly like ...him.

 _"Aigis...Can you...Wake me up in five minutes?"_

 _It was the fifth of March...it set up for a beautiful day...Yuki had been sick for some time now..._

 _His body never reached the morgue..._

 _He now stood in front of him._

'Krishna' Gestured to Odin, who lowered his head. "My Lord...Ti's was all of Dagda's plan." Odin admitted with a clenched fist, it sounded painful to acknowledge his dependence on the other God.

"And it worked without a hitch!" Dagda barked as he punched Odin in the shoulder, "And ya thought it would fail."

Odin sighed.

"Wh...What's going on? Is this...Did he..." The poor girl couldn't even form a phrase, the close encounter with the eldritch abomination leaving her completely shaken. "This...Please tell me he will help Flynn? He...Krishna's a Good guy...Right?" She managed to choke out.

"Heh, Of course, he is." The Celtic god ineffectually appeased Asahi's fear. "Here...Take this for yer trouble." He neglectfully handed his sister a respectable lump of Macca. "get Yerself something nice, ye deserved it."

"Come, Dadga. We must find Flynn as soon as possible," 'Krishna' called the god, very keen to leave the place that had held him captive for so long.

"Why? You will...to help him...right?" Asahi stuttered, sweat covering her forehead. Her skin had turned gray, her voice choked with fear.

The fraud gazed at the shaking Asahi with his empty eyes, and then glided closer to his sister.

"Halt! Do not come closer, demon!" Mai spread her wings, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

Nanashi...could not move. He could only stare in disbelief.

This...wasn't His Krishna. But it couldn't be Yuki...If he was...

"Believe in me," He was right in front of Asahi. The fake Krishna then put his filthy hand on her cheek in a parody of a gesture of affection. "And I shall give you salvation."

Thankfully, the angel was quick to cast her most potent Hama spell. Blinding everyone in the vicinity and pushing the vessel of Madness away from Asahi.

The fraud merely recoiled. Gesturing to Odin and Dagda to stay where they where. "It's alright...she is simply not used to my awesome power."

He turned back to the angel and traumatized sister. Giving them what could pass for a winning smile. "It's alright, my child...Soon, you will be freed from all pain."

' _Ok...Krishna, I know you wanted this dude free. But I've never met anyone so mother-effing creepy in all my life.'_

"Kripa, who said it was the abomination I desired to free?" Krishna revealed. "There is more then what you can see."

' _Like the fact that I'm Aigis, A robot? And that Yuki...My Yuki's...Krishna, what's the hell's going on?_ ' Panic grabbed at his throat, he could feel his entire world tilt on it's axis.

"I will explain later." Krishna assured as His eyes never left the fraud.

"Yes..." Odin Agreed, Leaving Dagda all but forgotten. "But first, Flynn must submit to our cause."

"Oh, Fudge-sicle."* Nanashi Cursed under his breath.

"what? What do you mean, submitting to our cause." Asahi asked, still shaken.

It was clear his sister was getting an outstanding lesson about trusting those who were clearly evil.

The fraud gaze at Asahi...and then moved his dull eyes onto Nanashi and paused for a bit...

For a moment, a familiar glimmer of life re-enter his voided pupil, some hope for salvation...

And then, it was gone.

"Krishna...Let's go, Can't miss our appointment with our hero." Dagda impatiently called out.

The fraud smirked. "Yes...Indeed." And with that, Krishna's evil copy disappeared in a swirl of Shadow, he was followed closely by Odin. Dagda lingered behind for a bit, his acid green eyes landing on Asahi and the Angel.

"Kids, things are about to get real interesting, real fast...Yah may want to wrap up whatever unfinished business ya may have." And then he too followed the other in a flurry of clovers.

Right...so he was the Son of Lady Danu.

With the oppressive power gone, Nanashi could finally breathe... And try to grasp the magnitude of what had just happened.

"T...This is Bad...Nanashi, they played us big time." His sister stuttered.

Nanashi felt Krishna's grounding, soothing hand on his aching shoulder. "Kripa...Do not let your anger get the better of you." the Lord warned.

Nanashi unclenched his fist, he could already feel the nail marks healing.

"Oh...what've we done?... I just wanted to make a name for myself. Not this!"

Krishna's little speech about selfish-selflessness re-emerged from Nanashi's memory. Now...after years of protecting his sister, He could see her for who she really was...

He...had enough.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Nanashi turned his heel and ran back to the entrance, praying to God that he would be there on time to try and salvage the situation.

And then paused, His sister had collapsed to her knees, her shoulders shaking as she realized the magnitude of her mistake.

Nanashi ran back to his sister and the angel comforting her. "Asahi...Get up, you can start your pity party once we get to Flynn." He shook her shoulder, trying to get her out of her mental headspace.

If he didn't have this luxury, then neither would his sister.

Asahi, her face pale and blotchy, looked at her brother with some hope in her eyes. "Y..your right...We can still stop them."

She got up from the watery floor, determination once again shining in her eyes. "yeah...Flynn and Isabeau should already be in Ginza, C'mon Nanashi." She grabbed her adopted brother arm and, using his for support, rushed out to try to save the whole situation.

Krishna gazed at the two as he stood beside Mai, who had been forgotten in the frantic scrambling.

"My Lord." The angel addressed the supreme personality of Godhead.

"Yes, my dear?" He gave his favourite Abrahamic angel a loving side-long glance.

"My Lord, please forgive me for I have sinned."

Krishna closed his eyes. He..not quite hated, but had a massive dislike of empty confession of sins.

He already knew what you did, and confessing the wrong would not erase it from one's records.

"Yes, I am aware...what was your sin?" He asked, nonetheless.

"I have lied." The angel revealed, now kneeling in the water with her palm folded.

"What did you lie about?"

"My Lord, I knew what was hidden under the well..."

"And? Why didn't you stop Asahi?"

"Because my lord, This is your will, and who am I to try to change your mind."

Krishna inclined his head at the self-realized soul stuck in the body of an Abrahamic version of a Vishnu-duta. "You are dear enough to me that I would take your suggestion seriously."

"Indeed...But I..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you...for giving him a second chance."

Krishna mercifully gazed at the 'Angel'...she had been one who had prayed and fasted for this opportunity.

While it was motivated, she had some Bhakti in her simple heart.

"Many desired him to return...and I've waited for him long enough." Longing passed on the Supreme Lord's face. "And I do believe you also have to return...To Asahi's smartphone." He spoke with a smirk.

The angel puffed her cheek in dejection, She like being around Krishna and out if the storage. But she also knew that things were about to get interesting.

"Let the game begin."


	7. Chapter 7 breaking down, building up

So...everything is so nice at the temple, very buisy with the sevice of Sri-Sri Radha Krishna, many plot bunnys that requires my attention and cooking, cooking and more cooking.

oh, and live streaming Harinama since...you know, it's the best thing in the world and all that.

so yeah...lifes good!

Now this chapter...this is were things get interesting...very, interesting.

* * *

Nanashi ran, he had no time to lose. He was practically dragging Asahi as they rushed through Tokyo as if the army of hell and heaven were at his heels.

' _I have to reach Flynn before…'_ He couldn't finish his thought. The image of the fake burned deep in his memory. His skin may have darkened, his hair curled and his dress changed…But Aigis…Aegis…Nanashi was not fooled. He knew Yuki's face, He knew his eyes…

 _In his bed, Yuki laid still, his heart silent and his skin a molted gray…_

' _I've failed…'_

The servant of Krishna tripped on his bad foot and fell to the ground like sack of brick, bringing his sister down with him. He now knew what Krishna had been hiding.

He was not Akira…had never been Akira.

It was simple logic really. If Yuki was real, it meant that Aigis was real also, and since Nanashi was remembering memories in the perspective of this gynoid…

' _How can I be so dumb? It was so oblivious!'_ Maybe. No. not maybe, Nanashi _knew_ Krishna was behind this…He was the cause of everything after all. _'Once this is over, I need to ask him…'_ the servant of God got back to his feet…if he asked his master, would the Lord tell him the truth?

Krishna didn't need too…and Nanashi, Aigis…whomever they were, had no position to demand anything.

Nanashi began running again...praying to God, to Krishna that they could reach Flynn and Isabeau in time.

And Krishna in all this?

He waited…Knowing the outcome.

* * *

On Ginza, at the cross-walk. History was about to be made. Flynn held the legendary sword to what he hopped really was the head of Masakado ; a boulder that had fallen from ther firmamant, disloged , ready to commune with the powerful deity.

' _And once again, I'm seeing history in the making. 'Junpei_ thought as he proudly gazed at Flynn. ' _But this time, it would be remembered by all…and our messiah will survive the ordeal and lead us all to a brighter future.'_

It was funny how he came to be at this position. Junpei had been exterminating demons left and right, getting back in his A-game for the eventual confrontation with Krishna…and Nanashi, when the duo of saviour jumped in to save his sorry ass from a horde.

As it turned out, he had lost more power than expected; even Trismegistu had reverted back to Hermes. It was not after he had managed to gain the help of the samurai of hope and his lovely partner that the Boss realised how powerful those where.

Junpei knew he would not be able to face the Hindu deity…He may have been…no, he had done nothing to Nyx; It had been Yuki's sacrifice that sealed the thirteenth arcana, death itself with his own soul…

But…Flynn and Isabeau where known for performing miracles and killing more fearsome god then Krishna. The Hindu god of 'love' wouldn't stand a chance against the power couple. And since Nanashi obliviously saw Flynn as a role-model…He would listen to the samurai of hope more than his own Old man.

Speaking of Flynn the samurai of hope now held the gigantic Katana in front of the boulder, the head of the great Masakado. Junpei's heart began thrumming hard, and his left side began twitching…He was about to see history being made…a history everyone would remember, and one that did not required the sacrifice of a messiah.

"DAD! FLYNN!" Junpei heard his daughter… "we made it!"

' _Oh boy…what did she do now, and why didn't Nanashi stop her.'_ As he turned around to face his own flesh and blood, the Boss could not help but dread what would happen next. _'no…relax, it may be something as simple as them just being at the same place at the same time…it's not like Flynn's presence in Ginza was unknown to them…'_ he tried to convince himself without much success.

Behind Nanashi 's Krishna hovered close, his face still infuriatingly passive, and his left hand possessively on Nanashi's shoulder. The Boss narrowed his eyes…Good thing Flynn was so close. _'Just you wait demon…you'll get what's coming._ '

"Asahi, Aegis…what brought you here?" Junpei asked while still keeping an eye on the 'friendly' deity.

"Ah…well…umm…you see…" Asahi stuttered, and the boss felt his blood run cold…it definitely wasn't to see history happen.

"We freed Makoto Yuki from his seal…" Nanashi revealed, his voice monotone, his posture stiff… his eyes filled with dread. Behind him, Krishna lowered his head, and the boss could have sworn a tear fell from his hidden eyes.

"You what?" The Boss asked, not sure if he heard correctly. But one thing was for sure…he didn't like it. And unfortunately, he could not ground them anymore…they were hunters, adults.

 _He could not protect them anymore._

Suddenly, Junpei felt a heavy presence oozing in on the samurai. The shades danced unnaturally, his left side quivered with spasm and a feeling of pure dread crawled up his spine.

 _Nyx loomed over them, their presence heavy and foreboding._

"If I were you, Flynn, I would not awakened Masakado." A friendly voice spoke, the treat clear under the casual veneer.

The two samurai looked around to see where the voice came from. Suddenly, the shadows coalesced and a young man emerged from them. He was smartly dressed, sported a fedora with a peacock feather on his messy blue hair, held a golden flute to his lips and gave off the same feeling as a reaper. The human like demon floated off the ground, his living shadow keeping his aloft. He had his back to the boss and his two charge…effectively blocking him from aiding Flynn.

The boss took his (real) gun…That thing was definitely not human, but rare where those who could survive a death round to the back. And then his plan disappeared where are the good ideas went to die, for two powerful presences appeared in a flash of lightning and a flurry of clover.

"Greeting Flynn, My name is Krishna, of the divine powers." He greeted, tipping his hat with a puppet like flourish. "The divine power has only but one goal; the salvation of the entire world." He explains without much prompting.

In Junpei's mind, he could only curse a salty storm. He knew Krishna was bad news…but two Krishnas!?

"It's not Krishna…" Nanashi mumbled, his boy looked…so distraught, his eyes never leaving the Divine power's defacto leader.

' _He told me it was Yuki…What the hell's going on?'_

"What do you mean by salvation? And why did you prevent me from awakening Masakado?" The samurai of hope asked, on edge at the sight of Krishna.

The supernatural youth tilted his head. "I serve neither Merkabah nor Lucifer. My salvation is for the good of humanity." Krishna smile did not reach his eyes…they were dull and lifeless. Like the rest of him.

Junpei took a chance a took a furtive glance at the black, marble like Krishna hovering behind his son…even this piece of shadow held more life this this demon made of flesh, blood and ether.

Flynn took a step back, his hand hovering over his gauntlet.

"So, there are demons that have decided not to side with Merkabah and Lucifer, and you speak for them?" Isabeau asked, trying to defuse the situation.

Krishna gave off a chilling chuckle. "In a way…"

"Oh Hell!" It didn't take a genius to know were thing would go, and Junpei could only hope for some kind of miracle. Flynn was their messiah, send by the Great Will…there was no way the Great Will would let something like that happen…right?

Krishna's countenance grew stony as the shadows around began to swell, following his mood shift. "This world is controlled by a "creator" who has no qualm calling himself the one true god." He sneered, his dull eyes somehow gaining a spark of life. "It was he who sealed Humans in cages of flesh and threw them in this accursed universe, bound by words and endless reactions."

Behind him, the boss could feel Nanashi's Krishna bristle, letting out a low growl.

' _Well…now I know my problem's not happy with the other one…'_

"We are all merely pawns of the creator." The gold and blue lightening demon spoke as he clenched his fist.

"and we're all bloody tired of bein' his puppets!" spat the leather clad skeleton.

"Such insolence will not be forgiven, God will die for it!" The dark skinned youth sneered, the expression foreign of his otherwise pleasant face.

Suddenly, the Junpei felt a powerful demon _right beside him._ He turned to face the sudden treat when he realized that it was only Nanashi. His adopted son's eyes had gained a reddish glow, and a look of pure determined _murder_ twisted his face.

This was not the baby who was always sick; this was not the boy who could not eat anything except canned vegetables and chemical fertiliser. It was not the child who broke his foot playing soccer with his sister...

This…was the green haired, golden eyed demon child the boss managed to pass for a Human orphan…and the underfed, sickly cadet who disembowelled Adramelech with a shovel and pierced the firmament with a laser.

' _Nozomi may not have exaggerated when she told me what he did.'_ Junpei belatedly realised as he looked at his adopted son from the corner of his eye. If not for Krishna's hands on his shoulder, the Boss was certain the other one would be but another greasy smear on the pavement. But the question remained…what had triggered Nanashi' fulgurent aggression?

"Flynn…" the other Krishna spoke, his voice back to be a polite soprano. It dragged Junpei's attention away from his fuming son and to the present exchange. "Will you be our saviour, our Kalki?" The demon presented his outstretched palm to Flynn. The Messiah looked at the offered hand, silent.

Those few moment's where…not as nerve wracking as the morning events…but very close to it.

"And what if I refuse?" Flynn asked with narrowed eyes. His entire posture tensed, ready to fight.

"then your' impudence will be met by force." The blue and gold deity declared as he aimed his wicked spear at Flynn shooting a deadly bolt of lightning at the samurai. But, at the great relief of all of those present, he dodge it, his sword at the ready.

"Woops, Yah missed him Odin. Something's wrong with yer eye me think." The Irish deity barked in laughter.

"I did not miss him Dadga." Odin coolly replied. "Flynn is simply better at dodging…"

"Sore looser…too bad for the wench though." Dadga peered behind the two hunters and the 'persona', his 'smile' now wicked.

Once again, a bucket worth of liquid nitrogen was poured over his head. He and Nanashi whirled around just in time to see Asahi being lifted off the ground by an obese, golden, Buddha-like demon.

"Let me go!" His Asahi struggled from the demon's grip, kicking and snarling like an angry Nekomata. But her efforts where in vain, the Buddha-like beast held her firmly by the neck.

"ASAHI! NO!" The boss yield as he withdrew his evoker…ready to kill the golden bastard, he could see from the corner of his eyes Nanashi doing the same.

The demoniac Buddha brought his struggling hostage in front of him…tightening his grip on her fragile neck. "One more move, and the girl dies."

Junpei gritted his teeth…this…he only though that situation would happen in nightmares…

"Who the Hell are you." Nanashi snarled, restrained by the deity.

"I am Maitreya, of the polytheistic alliance." The golden Buddha greeted almost amiably. "And you are the one who freed my Master, haven't you?"

Nanashi clutched his shovel until his knuckles turned white.

"You are also very late my friend." Krishna addressed Maitreya…the bad one, not the one who followed Nanashi around. "Will you disappoint me twice?"

Maitreya shook his head. "No. Tsukiji Hongwanji is now under the control of the Polytheistic alliance." Junpei heard…Let's call him Hari to save some headaches, snort elegantly from his post behind Nanashi.

"Wonderful." 'Krishna' clapped his hands together; he turned towards the samurai again. "Will our Kalki join us?" He asked Flynn with a smile that did not reach his eyes…it was a rather familiar smile.

" _I'm fine Junpei-san." Yuki assured Junpei after he had failed his exam. His smile did not reach his eyes._

' _No, it can't be…Yuki's dead.'_

"Oh, he will." Maitreya assured his master. "He will not let a child die." The golden demon applied a little more pressure to Asahi's neck, not enough to kill her, but enough to make her turn a smidge purple.

* * *

" _Damn it! I'm powerless...'_ Flynn internally cursed. He could see no way he could get out of his predicament without the girl paying with her life. As with everything, the choice seemed to be already made for him.

He turned his narrowed glance back at Krishna…the being moved like a puppet and smelled like death. And was oddly familiar to the samurai, like this boy Nanashi felt Familiar. But this feeling was tempered by the sheer feeling of doom that pervaded the atmosphere.

Without much choice, Flynn dropped his weapon. If he could have generated a laser with his eyes, the floating puppet would be but cinders.

Odin aimed his Gungnir at the unarmed Samurai, whom now regretted his decision to save the Celtic god. _'No good deeds go unpunished.'_ He gritted his teeth, awaiting for the bolt the hit. _'Shame I did not put lightening resistant armour'_

Krishna walked in front of the All-father, putting a hand on Gungnir's blade and lowering its wicked point to the ground.

"Odin…what do you think you are doing?" Krishna asked.

"Krishna. I'm just following the plan."

"Indeed…the plan…But I rather not fix the vessel more than I have too." A shiver went up Flynn's spine…a vessel; He had called him a vessel.

' _This won't end well….'_

"Allow me." The shadows under Krishna swelled, dancing to his command as they crawled towards the weapon less samurai like an army of hasty snakes. Flynn stepped back, hitting the boulder behind him.

"FLYNN!"Isabeau screamed as she tried to reach her partner, the liquid darkness flaring up, throwing her away like a rag doll.

Now cornered, Flynn could only close his eyes and hope he had enough macca to bribe Charon…and if not.

Well, hopefully he could find Issachar and regal him with his crazy last adventure as a samurai prentice. He just hoped Isabeau would survive the ordeal and pick up the torch if all else failed.

"YUKI!" Flynn re-opened his eyes. It was that boy, Nana…no Aegis. He was looking at Krishna with deep anguish. "Why…why are you doing this?"

Krishna heard the name and stopped, his eyes flashing with some life, some remembrance…"yu…ki...?" he whispered. The shadows that threatened to swallow Flynn abated. "I…am…" And then they flared up again, this time, it's seemed even 'Krishna' was affected.

The puppet like being clutched his head, grunting in pain as he tried to fight off…something inside him. "No…No…Yuki is _dead_ " he panted. As he lifted his head, a golden liquid flowed from his nose…"I…I am Krishna! The speaking mouth of the expanse, the persona of the collective consciousness….Yuki was but a part of me...likes all of you…"

Nanashi froze…

"I have wasted enough time…" 'Krishna' made a gesture, and the shadows engulfed the Samurai of hope…

He couldn't breath…the crawling darkness had entered his mouth and troath, choking him like millions of hands wringing his neck from the inside, and filling his lunges with burning cinder.

As his consciousness left him…Flynn could only remember Aegis and his shirt, oddly enough.

The lion on his shirt looked at him like a father his son, fully revealing his awesome form of a half-man, half lion with eight arms. His glorious wife siting on his lap as she gazed at him in a way only the mother of all being could bear.

" **Do not worry, everything is under control. I will protect you."** The wonderful being spoke reassuringly.

He felt safe, despite it all.

* * *

"FLYNN!" Isabeau screeched in despair as the samurai of hope fell limply to the ground.

"No, FLYNN." Asahi sobbed, gasping for air as tears streamed from her eyes. "It's all my fault…"

' _No…Its mine…'_ Nanashi thought…he felt disconnected as if in a dream…or a nightmare really.

This was Yuki…He used to be Aigis…He used to Protect Yuki…Yuki and by extension her, where servants of Krishna…not Krishna…Yuki had died…His head cradled in her lap…

Yuki…no, something was inside Yuki's body…something other than her dearest master animated the body like a hand move a puppet.

' _No…This was in my previous life…I'm Nanashi…Krishna-Kripa…I don't know him…'_ they felt hot, they felt cold, their whole body tingled…

He could feel Krishna, his Krishna…

This was all part of Krishna's plan, and Krishna, God was good! His master was right…He had to be…Otherwise!

"Hey! Leave my Girl alone!" The boss's murderous tone brought Nanashi back to the present. Asahi was now limply hanging from Maitreya's hand…he could feel she was about to faint.

"That coward…" He heard his Krishna mutter.

Nanashi dearly wanted to jump to Maitreya's throat, to rip the demon apart. And yet, he couldn't…the entire situation…it was too much for him.

The shadows that had engulfed Flynn lifted. The fake made this gesture, and the crawling darkness lifted the prone body from the unforgiving ground. A parody of a smile twisted the being features. "Kalki is with us now….you may release the girl."

Maitreya inclined his head and opened his hand, letting Asahi go. His sister hit the ground running; aiming for her father's awaiting arms. But, still affected by the events, she tripped and collapsed…Thankfully, The boss was there and ready to catch her.

"Hey! What's going on?" Nanashi noticed the new group of hunters…but…he couldn't focus…he couldn't hear them…He only had eyes for Yuki…

He felt sick…

He didn't know what to do…

"He Krsne…" He whispered as he fell to his knee's…the entire events, the revelations…his old identity…it was too much…

He didn't hear the fraud's words about how death would be the salvation of humanity at large, nor did he saw the crawling shadow take the Boss's Evoker and he was not aware of Yuki…or whatever was controlling him, summoning an oversized, mutli headed snake…

It was only by Krishna's mercy that Nanashi did not face plant…and it was by Krishna's mercy also that everything was revealed.

* * *

"Makoto Hamuko." A man spoke...

She opened her eyes. he was in a withe expance, siting on a chair. She felt...not right, as if the body she was in was not her.

"Makoto Hamuko." she heard the man speak again. "how do you feel?"

"I don't know...weird...what happened, who are you?" she asked, feeling panick rise to her unmoving troath.

she heard the sound of a motorised wheel-chair reached her ears. and soon, a man in a burgindi suit entered her vision. he had white hair and wore glasses, on the tray of his motorised conveiace was a laptop. the pice of electronic seemed to glow with unknown power.

he turned to the teen, his smile could be called kind, and yet, Hamuko felt it like a crawling hand on her back.

"Greeting Hamuko. I'm...a friend who only wants the best for you." the strenger greeted. "You...and your family were caught in a car crash caused by Death; the Arcana that should not be."

memory flooded Hamuko's mind. waking up to the car in flames, her mother burning alive in the habitacle...her own dead body crushed beyond recongnition.

"I...I died..." she shoked out...he baby brother, the one who had fallen from the sky..." Where's Yukimaru? were's my brother?" she managed to ask.'

"Safe..." the man simply awnsered. "for now."

"for now!?" cold dread dreached her body...A body that did not feel like her own.

The man gave...it was not really achilling smile, bit it did not give any type of reasurence to Hamuko.

"My dear Hamuko, it seemd that your brother was chosen to be the vesel for the Nyx avatar, death herslef." He explained.

"what? no, that's not 's...Yuki can't be..." SHe braught her hand to her forehead and froze.

those were not human hands...human hands didn't have guns for fingers...and then she realsied.

she never took a breath sicn the moment she woke up, she hadn't blinked either...and she could not feel her...she could feel what a human should feel.

"Last week, your dear little brother became the hplder of Nyx...and in the future. well, you'r help will be required to stop the harbigner of death...and to save your yuki" The stange man spoke as if he didn't notice Hamuko's break down. "But for this...Hamuko need's to die." A smile drew itse;f on his face, it didn't reasure the young girl at all.

"But...I laready died." Hamuko spoke, she felt dazed...so dazed...

nothing made sence anymore.

"No my dear, Hamuko is still there, just out of her old, human body and into a doll...for Yuki to be saved, you need to become a doll, a souless doll whose only directive is the protect him at all cost." He explained. "So...are you willing to sacrifice your soul for your brother's well being?"

Hamuko tried to swallow...but the dool body was not made to act like a human it seemed.

"Yes..."

* * *

Years later…she had been reactivated. All of her memories were fogy at best, or completely corrupted at worst. But she had a feeling she had to look for someone…someone important.

A child…her child? He had blue hair and blue eyes…she remembered wanting him very much…

And then…she found him again. The child had grown into a beautiful young man that was always tired…and who felt like death.

She had been attracted to him the moment she had laid her camera on him…a burning desire deep from her Papillion had awoken.

A desire to protect, to nurture…to care for him...to serve him with all her abilities.

His name was Makoto Yuki; he had been transferred from another school due to him being an unwilling gang member, only useful of cold and lonely night.

This was the official story anyway. The real reason was quite mundane; Ikutsuki-sama wanted Yuki to be on Port Island, attending the prestigious gekoukkan high…even if his grades would not permit him. As for why his grades where very much bellow average?

Yuki had no will to live, and no will to die…he was simply drifting trough life waiting for it to end.

Aigis…wanted him to smile, to be happy. To live a full life, to have a girlfriend, then a wife, a good job, children, a nice house…simple things a human being would desire; Happiness before everything would end.

He had been too thin, and thus Aigis had learned how too cook, it was not that hard, and she followed the recipes by the letters, Making sure Yuki's dietary needs where respected; Yuki couldn't eat meat without being terribly sick, nor could he eat onions and garlic.

She would make sure his bed was freshly clean, his cloths washed and ironed. She would clean his room, fold his laundry when cleansed. And when he would have a nightmare (which was rather often) Aigis would be there with a glass of warm milk and an ear to listen to what her Master would speak.

There was nothing she wouldn't do for him…she wanted Yuki to be happy and safe.

During the dark hour, Aigis would always make sure to protect him from harm. It was not that Yuki was weak; on the contrary, the leader of S.E.E.S was terrifyingly effective on the battle field…at the sacrifice of his own safety.

Yuki had absolutely no sense of self-preservation, and would rather die than to see anyone of his friend wounded. Thus, Aigis had taken his mood. She would die for him before he would…

over the next few month, it had been their routine. Yuki would go to school, Aigis would follow him, and making sure he would do a bit more efforts for his grades. Then at night, they would climb Tartarus, killing the moon shadows to prevent the fall…the apocalypse.

Yuki would rarely come back without any wounds…and yet he didn't seem to feel the pain. But Aigis noticed that he also started caring for his teammates.

One night…Yuki had spoke to Aigis. He was afraid of what would happened to him once all the shadows where destroyed…what would he do? Where would he go? What would be his purpose in life?

The gynoid had assured her blue hair master that she would follow him, no matter what. And that they would both find the answer to their existential question.

And then one day…Ryuji came in Yuki's life.

The young man was disgustingly flirty, running after whatever had a short skirt…even one Kijiro Mitsuru. The scarf wearing youth also seemed to be very fond of Yuki…as if they were old friends.

Then they had become actual friends, going to movies, sneaking around the girl dormitory with Junpei in a (failed) mission called 'babe hunt'…

But after a month, she realised that…the two had grown much closer than just some friends…

After that one time she had not knocked, it was practically confirmed that Yuki and Ryuji-san where indeed and item. At Aigis great chagrin.

Yes…Yuki seemed happy with him. And yes, he did smile more and _yes_ , Aigis was aware that those type of relationship where not frowned upon in Japan…

But…There was something about Mochizuki Ruiji…he felt like…like death. And while he was affectionate with Yuki, Aigis could not help but wonder if it was genuine.

She tried to speak to Yuki about her concern…but didn't have the heart to.

She just hoped her hunch was wrong.

* * *

She had been right…Mochizuki Ryuji had been bad news. As in, he was none other than the appraiser of Nyx, death itself. The one Aigis had sealed in Yuki ten years ago…

Needless to say, the revelation had been extremely traumatic to Yuki...and the ensuing breakup managed to do what years living in the foster system had failed to do...except giving Yuki a good family.

There was a reason why the Gynoid and Koromaru, the brave Shiba-inu where following the fading scents of one possibly suicidal teen with a broken heart…amongst other things.

' _Oh, if only I'd been more perspective, and less soft-hearted…Yuki-kun, please don't do anything stupid'_ they still needed him. The fall was on its way, Nyx; the last Arcana would descend on January thirty first…and end the world.

It may be grim…but S.E.E.S needed him…His friends needed Yuki. The fall may happen, but they still needed to try and fight It off…Better die fighting.

Aigis turned a corner, clutching Koromaru's leash like a life-line. And then…they came to a park built around a canal, a bridge loomed above its slowly moving water.

" _He was there…by the bridge. His smell is on the railing."_ Koromaru quietly spoke as he approached the balustrade

"Can you smell if Yuki…" Aigis could not even finish her phrase.

Koromaru looked at the Gynoid. _"Do I look like a bloodhound? I can't smell this far…but I don't think Leader jumped of, his sent is on our side, not the water side."_ He explained, and Aigis could 'breath' a little better.

Koromaru sniffed around a little more. _"there was another man…I can smell Indian spices, incense and flowers…the man…his smell is mingling with Yuki-sama…I think he saved him…'_

"And can you find where this man went?" Aigis asked, hoping against hope that it was not one of those Nyx cultists. If it was…Yuki was as good a dead. Koromaru did not answer back; his nose was already to the ground.

The Shiba-inu went to a bench. _"He was sitting here."_ Then he went to the curb. _"They went in a car here…"_

"Can you follow the smell of the car?" Aigis asked, her hope of finding her master alive rapidly ebbing.

Koromaru lowered his head. His tail going limp in disappointment. _"No…I'm sorry, failed my master again."_

Aigis didn't know how it felt to cry…but she wished she could. "No Koromaru…I failed mine." Her voice stuttered, falling to her knees.

Both the dog and the gynoid remained in silence, if Aigis would have the ability to cry, she would.

Suddenly, Koromaru perked up. _"I found something_!" no sooner then he 'spoke' those words, the dog got to his feet and trotted about to metres away from where Aigis was kneeling. There, he began pawing the ground. _"There, a clue. Aigis, I can't pick it pick it up…please come and see."_

Aigis got up with some difficulty and made her way to where Koromaru was. Indeed, on the pavement was a small card, the combat gynoid picked it up.

"Hare Krishna, you are thereby invited to our ever popular Sunday feast program held at the ISKCON new Gaya temple…" She registered the address. It was quite far from Port Island, but Aigis could always ask Iori-sama to drive them there. There was no way Yuki-san's bet friend would refuse; especially if there was a chance their blue haired leader could be alive.

She flipped the card, on the back, something else was written.

"please chant' Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and be Happy." Aigis read out loud…

' _What is that? It sounded nice!'_

Indeed…It made the Gynoid feel...alive!

The next Morning, Aigis thought it would be a good idea to call this Hare Krishna cult first. She didn't want do disturb anyone, nor give them false hope.

" _Hare Krishna, welcome to ISKCON new Gaya, our opening hours are from 4:30 in the morning to-"the_ receptionist greeted. _"Is there anything we can do for you?"_

"Yes, I'm looking for my brother. Aigis began. "His name is Makoto Yuki; he has blue hair and blue eyes." She could give a more detailed description, but those two traits were usually all that was needed.

"Ah yes. Your brother is here right now." The words of this receptionist flooded Aigis with untold relief. That flood turned into a tsunami when Yuki spoke to her on the Phone.

" _Aigis…I'm sorry about last night. I will never do this again."_

Aigis began to sob...thanking whatever deity had Protected her master.

* * *

Back in Gorlovka Vrindhaban, under a massive Banyan three and surrounded by his dear friends and Cows. Krishna smiled as he remembered the day this very dear soul resumed his path towards Him.


	8. Chapter 8, pieces falling into places

Chapter seven,

"Flynn?"

He heard someone speak to him…

"Flynn! Oh, for the love of. FLYNN! WAKE UP YOU LAZY DOLT!"

The voice was grating, snobbish and…very familiar. _'Where did I heard it last'_ he wondered. _'Was it in Mikado? Yes, this is where I heard it last…but…wait…sneaking to Tokyo…mad with anxiety...persecuted by the angels. No, it can't be"_

Flynn's eyes flew open as he gasped for breath, his lungs painfully empty…

He coughed a few times, trying to get some air in. eventually, his spasm calmed down enough that he could look around.

It was definitely The Tsukiji Hongwanji…the choking smell of incense and sweet blood me his nose.

' _Wait…blood?!'_ no…the Tsukiji didn't smell _that badly._ And it smelled…very near also.

He opened his eyes…the room he was kept in was unnaturally dark, and he could feel the choking, menacing, heavy looming presence of the whites…and of another body beside him.

He could also see a green blob floating in front of his eyes…the thing looked like he was sporting a pompadour, and his acid green glow was the only source of light I the room.

"Oh thank God you are awake," the thing spoke, its voice warped yet still clear enough to recognize. "For a moment there I thought you had dies."

Flynn stared… "Navarre…is that you?" he rasped. His throat painfully dried.

The ghost stared, clearly surprised. "You…can see me?"

Flynn nodded as he sat up… "Navarre…you died." He whispered…yet another failure. Another one he did not manage to save.

"Flynn…" the ghost of the worst samurai in Tokyo floated nearer to the grieving messiah. "It's not your fault. I…made a terrible decision, and I am now paying the price. Fujiwara took care of me nicely… I was just a poor fool who threw his life away."

Flynn bit his lips as he lowered his eyes… First Issachar and his home town. Then Koga and her team, the children of reverse hill and now this…

"Oh dear, I think you broke my Vessel green bean." Spoke the other presence in the room. Then he chuckled. "Broke my vessel…oh, I need to write that one down."

Flynn turned toward the other spirit. It was in the form of a man in his forties, he wore a beige business suit, had long , wavy hair that had turned a tawny brown, glasses, and he seemed to radiate…a type of evil that made Lucifer look like and angel…

No…wait, bad comparison.

Darkness flowed around this man like black smoke from a fire, billowing and oozing around his smiling form.

And that liquid darkness was not as complete as Flynn would have liked…peppering its surface, bobbing in and out of its surface where white masks…

' _Is this…the source of the white?'_

"Any who, I'm glad to see that you are awake, my boy. For a moment, there, I thought I had killed you. Not that death is such a bad thing, I assure you." The man spoke in gentile tone. "I mean, everyone is _dying_ to meet her." He burst into raucous laughter.

Flynn winced, and Navarre made a face.

"Oh come on now, that was a good one since, you know. Everyone is dying anyway and Nyx is here to deliver us all!"

"Just tell me who you are spirit, and what is it that you desire. I do not have time to entertain you." Flynn loudly rebuked the half-backed comedian. He needed to get out, to resume his quest to free Tokyo…and to euthanize two of his friends.

The more 'human' ghost lost his smile, and readjusted his glasses. "Hmpf…party pooper. Fine, if you must know…" he spread his arm wide. "I am Krishna, the Avatar of the universal consciousness, some may call me God, The one, in truth, I am all, and I am nothing."

"You look different." Flynn informed, his memories of the event that had transpired may have been blurry at best, but the Samurai sharply remembered Krishna to be a scrawny looking youth with blue hair, dark skin, a red and white mark on his forehead and…not a ghost.

"Of course I look different. For I am all! Right now, I look like Ikutsuki, and I am also you. For you see, everyone is me, my fragments…" the ghost then began to morphed, cycling trough faces and bodies…some Flynn knew, other's he didn't. "I am the expanse, the avatar of humanities collective consciousness. 'Krishna' is but my mouth…" The thing…the source of all the white spoke with a thousand voices. "But your show of callousness has open yet another possibility for us, for you see, destruction, rendering all mater back to its original state was not the answer. The merging of all soul into The One, this is true salvation."

A shiver went up Flynn's spine as he instinctively reached for his gauntlet…only to find it missing.

He heard a small moan beside him… Flynn looked and stifled a small gasp.

Beside him, on the bed Flynn had occupied was Krishna…or whoever this person was. His skin was clammy; a tacky, yellow liquid flowed from his mouth and nose, as were a few tendrils of darkness swirling around his chapped lips. His eyes where half-opened, his pupil dilated…and was breathing like a dying man.

"What…happened to him…" it was the only thing Flynn managed to say at the sight.

"This young yaksa, my current vessel has been fighting me for years…his body unable to hold my awesome power. The seal of Mother Nyx can only hold so much, and now, he is breaking." The…thing spoke with disgust. "I only need him to be alive for seven more days…and this is where you came in, oh descendent of Danu."

"WHAT!?" Navarre exclaimed loudly, reminding every one of his presence.

The dark presence didn't even give the deceased any more attention than one would an ant.

"You see, oh semi-god…your body is used to channel an amazing amount of power. Powers beyond what a mere human…and a mere Yaksa can take." The crawling chaos explained like one speaks of a good pair of boots.

"…you want my body." A wave of revulsion flooded Flynn…of the entire thing that had happened, this one took the cake.

"Just for some time…the full moon is when the fragment of Nyx will be at her strongest. Once she has re-joined with her body, Mother Nyx will bestow upon us the glorious gift of death, and once all the souls are freed from their prisons made of flesh, then we shall all return to one." The shadowing being explained as he rippled with raptures. "Oh, how nice wit will be…no more variety, no more conflict, no more pain…only the sweet bliss of oneness."

Flynn felt hopeless…he knew he could not escape from this mad demon.

"And yet…you and I cannot become one, oh most cruel of my parcels." The masked darkness coiled into himself, clearly upset at this surprising development. "You have taken shelter in an animalistic god, a half-lion, and half-man. This creature has been preventing us from merging for the last hour or so…"

A wave of relief covered the utter revulsion that had manifested, and Flynn realized that his...let's call it a vision, was true. This God…was protecting him.

He didn't remember taking shelter of the god, though…

"So…will you let me go? You cannot get what you desire; keeping me would be useless." The samurai tried to negotiate. He needed to continue his quest, lack of heartbeat be damned.

The condensed shadow manifested an eerie mask and gazed at the samurai with hallowed eyes. "No… I'm afraid I cannot do that. Oh, samurai of false hope, you shall not trick the last of humanity with more lies." He spoke with chilling words. "You are still of use to us."

"What type of use?" Flynn had to know…he had been in the dark for too long, the more knowledge he had, better he could then act.

The congealed form of negative desire crawled toward the bed in which the samurai and the dying youth laid. "You, oh descendent of Danu, have amassed an amazing array of power…including the power to salvage a dying man." A tendril of gloom stretched from the main body to caress the agonizing Yaksa's cheek. "While I cannot use you as a vessel…you may still maintain whatever life remains is my puppet…only for a week, nothing more. After that, you, along with all the tortured soul, will attain ultimate salvation."

A shiver went up Flynn's' spine. He was powerless; he had neither weapon nor demons at his disposal. Worst yet, his gauntlet was gone, so he could not communicate with Isabeau…or anyone in fact.

He glanced back at the dying yaksa… Flynn could follow the order of this…let's call him Ikutsuki for now, and maintained the scrawny young man as he tried to figure out how to get out of this nightmare…or he could not do anything and let 'Krishna' die…

He clenched his fist…" I refuse… I will not play your game, demon!" he growled…and then a wave of dizziness crashed upon him as he heard someone chuckling at the other side of the expansive room, covered by the unnatural darkness.

"I don't think so 'brother', your life is mine, now co-operate or else." The Celtic God, Dadga threatened, revealing himself from a corner in the room.

Flynn remained un-cowed, and instead leered at the Celtic god with steely eyes. "I'm not afraid of death, I would rather die than help a mad man."

The skeletal son of Danu gave a chilling smile. "Yah might not be afraid of death hero, but take a guess at how Tokyo would react where you to expire for good."

Flynn Clenched his fists tighter…ideally, the people of Tokyo would take up arms and fight in his memory. But ideally rarely meant realistically. He knew of many who were practically worshipping the ground he walked on. Not only that…but he was the chosen one…

What happened when a chosen one dies before his mission is complete?

Flynn gritted his teeth. "Fine…"

"Wonderful!" the abomination cheered, reverting to its form of Ikutsuki. "Just keep my vessel in a more or less operational condition for a week; it's all that will be needed of you. You will have all the facilities required for your task, including some decent meals and some fresh water." then the human shaped abomination smirked, his glasses shining in a place of complete darkness. "But I am sorry I can't give you fresh air…since this is the place where the sun doesn't shine!" he burst into uproarious laughter as dissolved back into darkness…disappearing into 'Krishna' once more.

Silence filled the room…. Navarre, Flynn and Dadga all sported a face of sheer pain.

"This…better be worth it." The skeletal father of Brigid grumbled. "All right thrall…just do as we say…or not, it ain't like it really matters in the end." he shrugged. "Just heal up the vessel as much as ye can…clean 'im up if he leaks, that sort of things."

"How, without my Gauntlet-"Flynn began to protest only to have the Celtic God of knowledge mute him.

"Ye don't need this piece of metal no more. Yer a… Ah Guess Godslayer would be a good enough name, neither human nor demon, neither alive nor dead."

A shiver hook Flynn's spine…

"And yah can kill gods…even the Supreme one. Yah can also use yer demon skills without that piece o'useless junk now. So heal away boy…ain't like ye got any other option here either." And with that, Dadga turned his heels and walked out the now much brighter room.

At that moment, Flynn never felt so helpless in his entire life. He was almost completely alone, with only the ghost of his latest failure and a dying man for company.

With nothing else to do, Flynn laid a gentle hand on the agonizing youth and, calling his innate power, healed him.

"So, you are…not quite human then." Navarre commented as he looked at Flynn as if he had never seen him before.

"No…not anymore. Neither are you, Navarre." Flynn tried to smile; it must have appeared as a grimace.

"We have gotten ourselves in quite some trouble, haven't we?" asked the ghost as he hovered closer the new Godslayer.

Flynn gave a self-deprecating smile…if only he hadn't taken the gauntlet rite…none of this would have happened.

But then…the people of Tokyo would have remained without hope…and the suppressive reign of the angels would have remained. The samurai of hope sighed as he recalled the words for the healing spell…' Krishna' was barely breathing, and he didn't fancy staying in the same room as a putrefying corps.

' _I'm saving a dying man to cause an apocalypse… I wonder how Issachar would react where he to know.'_ Well, he would re-join his friend in a week time…he just hoped he could find him in the crowed.

* * *

Back in Kinshicho, the boss closed the door to Nanashi's room. His boy was out like a light, the event too much for him to handle. Krishna…Hari was still at his side, but with how the deity had protected his son, carrying him…openly fussing over his inhuman boy as if the thing genuinely cared.

Junpei was not sure what to think of the powerful shadow anymore…but one thing was for sure, he would pay a Ring of Gaea to kill the thing. In his Book, anything connected to Krishna was bad news and now…it was practically confirmed.

Looking back at the door, the Boss wondered is he should lock in from the outside. It's what he did to his daughter… Standard procedure after confiscating her Phone and the Angel that lurked in it, its fate a grim one.

And yet…there was still this suborned spark in Asahi's eyes, a will to fight, to make everything right out of sheer will power.

The boss knew that this was sheer folly. It was only in those cheap, cheesy anime that love and friendship would win against insurmountable odds. What their where going through was not an anime, a game or a novel…it was real life. And unfortunately, real life was a cold, hard bitch with a heart of iron.

" _Oh Chidori…what am I supposed to do now?'_ the boss wondered as he leaned on the wall, sliding down the surface with his face buried deep in his hands. _'You were the one who wanted kids…you where the one who took Nanashi in…and now look what happened.'_

Flynn was as good as dead, an abomination that may or may not be using the body of Yuki was now ruling one third of Tokyo with Shesha, a huge flaming snake that ate souls…the beast was well on its way to clear the Shinjuku district of all life, either human, demon or angelic in nature. And moreover…it was his Kids that had triggered the entire events.

How was he supposed to react to that? He could not hide them, or they would never learn about consequences of their acts…well, Nanashi knew, but even he was prone to bad decisions sometime. And Fujiwara was bound to learn of His kids involvement sooner or later…he knew the leader of the hunters had a good head on his shoulder, but it didn't change the fact that the _other_ hunter would stone them where they to learn of it.

Oh, and there was the fact that Nanashi… Nanashi knew Yuki. A young man who died years before his adopted son and daughter were even a twinkle in their father's eyes. Worst still, his boy was affected by his presence, as in, he had a strong emotional response to the fraud. But his response held not even a candlelight to how he had reacted when the mention of killing God had come into the conversation.

" _And there's also two Krishna I have to worry about now. Oh Axiom, please send some help.'_ He prayed to the only good source of all…it had worked this morning; it had no reasons to fail now.

Then he felt his Phone vibrate, it was his replacement.

"The boss speaking, what's going on?" Oh, he hoped it was not yet another bad news; he had enough of those today.

" _Boss…there's a pair of… Ahhh a demon and a celestial who wishes to speak to you. It's about a missing person?"_

' _Ugh…'_ "Alright, tell them I'll be right there as soon as possible.

" _Ah, I need to warn you though, they were the same mark as Krishna, and one of them is dressed as an Indian and the other one's a Kasha."_

The boss got up from the ground, there was no time for him to even have the world collapse. He dusted himself off, and went to meet the two strangers.

When he walked into the bar, he was met with two… Very peculiar woman.

One was a young woman, no older than twenty. She had blazing red hair tied in a pair of braids, a forest green dress then went to her knee and a pair of green tights covered her legs, a scarf of the same colour covered her breasts, she also wore a small black bag around her neck, as with a very fancy wooden necklace with a silver lion pendent on it. She had cat ears, a pair of cat tails, and she carried with her a two wheeled cart transporting a duffle bag filled with floating flaming skulls.

' _Yeah…definitely a hell-cat."_

The other woman…looked like Nanashi. Her platinum hair stood up like a pair of animal ears, and her golden eyes shone behind her specks…just like Nanashi's.

She was not very tall, and was very androgynous. Only the fact that she wore a long slightly singed violet skirt that hid her legs made her gender clear. The pink and gold, blouse she wore was also very long, but it still revealed that both arms were but puppet limbs. On her hips was a golden belt, on which, a wooden shaku hung.

Both woman where somewhat humid, and bore sighs that they had fought some demons and angels, and yet neither looked harmed. On their forehead shone a mark Similar to Tokyo's latest problem, so obliviously, all the hunters had their weapon trained on the duo.

" _Oh damn it…"_ The boss internally cursed, could he have a moment of peace?

The one that looked like Nanashi noticed the boss. "You are the guild master, aren't you?" She greeted with folded palm, her voice was deep, and held a natural authority. She spoke with deep concern…and yet did not seem to notice the ten guns aimed at her and her feline partner.

"Yes I am…who are you and why are you here? If it's to join Krishna, will never surrender." The boss warned.

The cat made a face. "Ah common, now ya making our job harder." She moaned. "It ain't like the real one's evil, I swear." she mumbled under her breath.

"My name is Mukhara Devi dasi, and my friend here is Radha-Shyamasundara Devi dasi. And yes, we do serve Krishna, but not the one you know." Mukhara spoke gently, it was clear she was used to diplomacy.

"Any Krishnas are bad news to me." The boss intoned darkly.

Mukhara remained impassive, and yet Junpei could feel an aura of anticipation and sorrow around her. "Yes…so you know, we have nothing to do with this…fraud you call Krishna. We serve the absolute truth, He who eternally taste playful pastime in his Abode of Goloka- Vrindavana…" She spoke stiffly, her whole body radiating with power.

"Yeah, It ain't a dead man with a fancy hat we worship…the guy ain't even blue." Radha piped in as she crossed her arms over her breast. "So yah can all drop yer weapon before ya kill an innocent."

"We are already aware of what happened here…but we have absolutely nothing to do with the fake Vasudeva." The regal woman liked her lips. "I'm here…to recover my son's body. Nothing more than that."

A moment of silence pass as Junpei stared…the last one who had died had been Nikkari and Manabu…but this woman, who was clearly not human, resembled N-.

No… No, she didn't have green hair.

"What's the name of your son, how old is he and how does he look like?" The boss asked as he gestured his man to stand down, those two were not the enemies…not yet. He went to the bar and sat down, gesturing the two demonness to do the same. Only Mukhara complied while the Kasha remained close to her, a comforting hand on her shoulder.

' _So…one is a grieving mother, the other one is a friend then.'_

"My son is… His name was Kanzanami Krishna-Kripa, he was born on the 23 of November 2023."

' _Fifteen…just like Nanashi maybe…could she be his mother?_ ' He realized. But then, it could also be a coincidence. "Madam, no one of that age died today…" he revealed to the bereaved mother.

Mukhara raised her eyes, the two golden orbs looking right through Junpei. "No, I received from a very knowledgeable source that my son died this morning in this Kinshicho Park…two other souls also departed."

"I confirm that two of my man died today…" and then…it hit him.

When he had seen Nanashi that morning after the atrocious event, his boy…there had been a hole in his jumper, right over his heart. And the amount of blood that was on this location indicated that…that…

He grabbed his father's pipe…he needed to hold something, anything.

"Sir?" the woman asked…

"Do you have a picture of him?" it would be the only way to disprove or confirm the hunch he had. But with how Similar Madam Mukhara looked to him…

His heart was pounding…and something told him the youthful looking mother also felt the same. Radha reached for the duffle bag, and pulled out a picture. The boss discreetly gestured for all the Hunters to vacate the premise. They may be worshipping Krishna, but his guts told him that they were not with the enemy.

It only took thirty-second for the bar to empty.

Radha handed the computer-generated picture of Krishna-Kripa. And the Boss felt his heart stop…

Green hair that jutted from the side of his head, brass colour eyes…a bit girly looking.

"You know him." Mukhara breathed out… "Tell me… Does he wear a belt of silver bells around his waist? One that he can't remove? And does he sport a single ankle bells?"

The boss nodded, his right side twitching and his hair standing on end. "Y…yes. He does." He confirmed.

"Do you have a picture of him?" The regal woman practically begged.

The boss got off from his stool, and stood as menacingly as possible. But before her could open his mouth to chase away the freaking Hare Krishna cultist, she got up also.

The power she radiated…could not be calculated.

"Mister Iori Junpei." She began her voice commanding authority that far exceeded his own. "I don't think you understand the situation…and your hatred for our glorious movement is terribly misplaced."

"Misplaced? I've lost-"

"A best friend and a leader, I know. And now, you are afraid that you will lose your son to Krishna Again. Just know one thing, of master of this guild, In the Hare Krishna cult, we do not poison, kill or even hurt an ant."

"Oh no, you just have a perverted 'god' running after young boys." He sneered.

Mukhara raised her brow. "Then when are _definitely_ not speaking about the same Krishna." She spoke most unimpressed. Then her countenance…didn't quite crumble, but she definitely looked the part of a bereft mother. "Listen… I'm not here to pick a fight…please…please let me see him…" Now she started to crumble.

"And why should I let you see my son?" Junpei asked with his arms crossed.

"Because… I saw him die fourteen years ago… The judge of the dead told me he died this morning… I just… I just want some closure, that's all…I won't take him from you." The otherworldly woman spoke with faltering voice and tears streaming from her eyes.

"Listen bud, we came here expecting a corps, found his crushed heart in the park fountain…and this place, I can smell our Kripa everywhere." The Kasha, Radha spoke quietly as she held her crumbling friend. "We know it's our baby… Mukhara's baby. Please let us see him… If ya do, we'll take care of da fake Krishna, both of 'em."

Some hope shone in the boss's heart. "Why should I trust you?"

"'Cause were Honest to God Vaishnavi, and we absolutely hate false Incarnations with a _burning passion."_ The hell-cat growled, showing off some of her demoniac features. "Trust me boss, once were trough with the fraud, I'm bringing him to hell personally."

The boss looked at the blazing cat and the….and Mukhara.

"Alright… Just be quiet and…if you can get rid of this 'Krishna' also, I would be much obliged." The boss spoke with gravity…he didn't have to tolerate that particular problem anymore…he just hoped Nanashi would forgive him one day.

* * *

Back in Nanashi's room, the son of Mukhara kept dreaming, remembering his past life as Aigis.

The next day, Junpei had driven the gynoid to the Hare Krishna temple, eager to break Yuki out of the crazy cult. The gangly young man had elected to remain in the car, in case Aigis needed some backup.

When they had arrived at the venue, Aigis could not help but noticed that there was no trace of the apathy syndrome, and an air of peace and bliss permeated the Japanese house like a pleasant comforter. Once Inside, this feeling intensified a thousand fold. She had met the one who had answered the phone, and was brought to a cosy waiting room with a shelf filled with books.

Finally, Yuki came in the room with an imposing man wearing saffron cloth, a big stick wrapped in orange cloth and a fatherly bearing.

Yuki was not in his usual dress. Instead, he wore with cotton cloth the Hare Krishna monk would wear, he had his right hand in a bag and whatever grief he may have felt was gone.

His eyes were cleared and…he looked Happy.

The strange man introduced Himself as Rupanuga Swami, from Canada, His accent surprisingly impeccable for an outsider. He then explained that he had been the one who save Yuki from his suicide attempt. Rupanuga Maharajah had thought it wise to bring the young man with him to the temple, at least until he could reach whatever help was there in japan for those desiring to end it all…only to learn that there was nothing of the sort.

Aigis could only nod as the effulgent man spoke with an overwhelming amount of love and compassion. Her sensor told her that his power was beyond anything in the world. He appeared to be in this world, but not of this world… And Aigis desired…she wanted to…

Surrender to him.

Yuki had remained all night at the temple, and Rupanuga swami had given the young man a good scolding about how foolish and blasphemous to commit such an act. For it would only have given Yuki a ghost body and more suffering…and that no one was worth killing oneself over some material 'lover'.

Yuki then had also expressed his desire to become a Hare Krishna. He had read the book, and he had found the answers he had been looking for all of his life.

With how happy he looked… Aigis could not say no. she still requested a copy of the book Yuki was reading, the Bhagavad-gītā as It Is and the sri-isopanisada, translated and commented by his Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta swami Prabhupada.

When they finally exited the temple, Yuki was in his normal cloth. But even then Junpei had acted as if their leader had been brainwashed by the other crazy cultist, ragging on and one about how he needed to normalize and deprogram whatever they had ingrained in his brain.

"Aigis…can you protect me from Junpei?" Yuki had asked, more than a little scared at his friend's reaction.

The Gynoid nodded at the request…and when they had arrived at the Campus, the combat droid had all but whisked away Yuki to his room and locked the door, barricading herself and her master from the now clearly insane Junpei and his thoroughly inappropriate reaction. Thankfully, Mitsuru and Akihiko-sampai had intervened.

And Yuki in all of that? Completely focused on the Holy Scripture he had received from the glowing, saintly man, Rupanuga swami.

The fall came and went, and then it was February the first…

Aigis still had no idea what had happened up on the moon. But one thing was for sure, Rupanuga swami had been right; the end of the world was still very far away from them.

Life resumed, school kept going and Yuki kept going at the Hare Krishna temple as often as he could…followed by Aigis, of course. Not that the Gynoid minded, she quite like the people there. They were all different, and yet a harmony prevailed.

The devotees knew of her robotic Nature, and while many would try to figure out how a spirit soul managed to get stuck in a mechanical body, they had soon accepted the fact that Aigis was a special case with an exceptional karma. Nevertheless, the female population had taken a shine to and had dress Aigis in Sarees and gopi skirt, showing the blond robot in front of their makeshift altar for the great pleasure of Sri Sri Radha-Govind. They would also bring her on book distribution, propagating the sacred teaching, the absolute truth and the peace formula.

Yuki would also follow, and while he was shy, he had also taken to book distribution and Harinama Sankirtan, the chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare publicly, for the benefits of all.

Yuki had also changed his lifestyle to follow the regulation for Vaishnava life. He was now completely vegetarian, forgoing even eggs. He stopped taking coffee, tea and even cola drink, he gave Junpei his computer games, telling he didn't feel the need to play them anymore and…

Yuki had even removed all trace of Ryuji, saying that he was done wasting his time. And the blue haired leader of S.E.E.S had told Aigis to protect him from Valentine day; he had no interest in dating…at all. Neither male nor female…and no, nothing would change his mind.

He would wake up at four in the morning, would shower, dress in fresh cloth and would chant on his beads, the blue haired boy was already chanting sixteen rounds every day without fail, Even if Junpei had tried to get rid of them. Another thing Yuki did that had triggered his best friend fanatical behaviour was to delete all the songs he had on his MP3 player, replacing them with devotional music, Kirtana and even some classes on the scripture called the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The Result of those changes?

A much Happier Yuki and a few less friends. Not that her master seemed to mind, for he now counted the Temple devotee's as his new friends and family…friend that would call him and Aigis often…friends who helped him get better.

As for Aigis…well, she decided to follow Yuki's example, for it gave her a purpose in life; A reason to exist beyond eliminating the now instinct shadows.

Takeba Yukari had been less than please, Akihiko was apprehensive and Mitsuru…let them all be since they were both adult and thus could do as they please…just please don't bring an Idol in the dorm and keep it to your room, she had said.

Some time later, after he had received an abysmal test score, Yuki had expressed his desire to join full time as a brahmachari…to remain a celibate student for the rest of his life. He didn't want to get caught up in the web of useless hard work and finally death by Karachi.

Of course, Aigis would follow him, for he had also found her purpose within the Hare Krishna Movement. To disseminate the teaching of the great Acharya to the world at large…and develop love of God, Love for Krishna. Basically, she had to transpose the feeling of care, protection and affection she had for Yuki to the Supreme, a task that was definitely harder than expected, but not Impossible.

Rupanuga Swami, the saintly man had told her that Loving God at her current stage was close to impossible, for the Lord didn't give such a gift very easily. So, it was better to serve Krishna's Devotee, for this please Him more.

And thankfully, Yuki was a Devotee, meaning Aigis just had to serve him as she had done for the past few months…

She went with him to the festival of Advaita Acharya, then to the appearance day of Lord Nityananda. She had helped Yuki as he laboured in the kitchen to help for the amazing feast. The Gynoid couldn't wait for the Next Festival, Gaura Purnima, and the appearance Day of the Supreme personality of Godhead in His Golden form, the most Compassionate, and He Who gave love of God Freely.

And then…tragedy struck.

It started with a simple cough…and then a Cold. Yuki had already gone to the nurse. The crazy man with the dubious medicine had been fired for some reason, even if his frightful cure for the flu was the most effective thing used to man. So instead, it was a Chinese woman with blue hair that had treated her master.

Aigis…didn't trust her…at all.

This woman kept looking at Yuki as if he was a piece of meat…or an interesting specimen to add to her collection. But otherwise, Doctor Kaku had been professional, and hadn't done anything to trigger Aigis protection protocol. She had given Yuki some herbal medicine to take until he felt better.

Weeks passed…and Yuki's health kept degrading, enough for Aigis to be worried, but not enough for her to drag her master to the hospital.

March fifth came… Yuki had somewhat managed to graduate from with the bare minimum requirement, and he would drag himself wherever he went…looking more like a zombie than a living young adult. They went to the roof, the spring weather felt good, warm, yet with a nice cooling breeze.

They sat on the bench…Yuki was pale, he would sleep most of the day and night…but he could hardly eat anything.

"Aigis…" He rasped.

"Yes Yuki?"

"I'm just going to take a nap…wake me up in five minute." Yuki then laid his head in her lap…and Aigis could feel his pulse rate lower.

After five minute…she wondered why she didn't contact the ambulance…

Ten minute later, the other member of S.E.E.S ran up the stair…

Akihiko took Yuki from Aigis lap…and brought him to his room…

' _Why didn't I say something…why didn't I contact the hospital?'_

The next day… His body had turned molted grey… Yuki had died…and Aigis had failed to protect him, to serve him…

And then… His body never reached the morgue, it had been stolen; the worker that owned the place had a gap in his memory he could not explain.

The rest of the team began searching for Yuki's dead body… Aigis decided that enough was enough. She went to her sanctuary…the Hare Krishna temple.

There…she had met hers and Yuki's master, Rupanuga swami.

She broke down at his feet… Vowing to serve and protect him until his life would also end…she was his eternally…

This…would have been what Yuki wanted. She would serve him and all the servants of God in Yuki's stead…

And she would do so…until her current body broke down.


End file.
